Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger
by Calvin Potterson
Summary: H/H Fifth year: Voldemort continues to gain power while making a strike that cripples the Ministry, and Harry learns a dreaded secret. Meanwhile, Trelawney's first prediction begins to come into play with the arrival of the honorable Calvin & Hobbes! Mo
1. The Invitation

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Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Disclaimer: You think I own any of this, hah! I wish! All of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Enjoy, and please review. If I get 10 reviews I'll post the next part.  
**Chapter One: The Invitation**   
A screeching of owls could be heard outside the window of the smallest bedroom on 4 Privet Drive. Naturally, there was something very wrong about this because owls should only appear at night and it was seven o'clock in morning. Besides that, there were interesting white parcels that the owls were carrying in their talons, they actually looked like envelopes. Even more strange, a young boy had opened his window, looking very tired but somehow pleased to see the owls, and he _welcomed them in!_  
Harry Potter was in fact very pleased to see the owls as he was a young wizard studying at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for three-fourths of the year. The rest of the time was spent at the Dursleys, a very unlikable anti-magic family who had tried unsuccessfully to beat the magic out of Harry by locking him under the cupboard and maltreating him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This had been after his parents had been killed by Lord Voldemort, the most powerful Dark wizard in a century, and Harry had at the age of one, somehow escaped and destroyed Voldemort. Unfortunately for the Dursleys, Harry had been accepted by Hogwarts and had made his two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. At the end of last year, Lord Voldemort had risen again and was steadily gaining power.   
All summer Harry had been waiting to collapse and scream because of the pain and the visions in his scar every time Lord Voldemort was either near or feeling particular murderous. Harry rubbed his scar, it had been the only souvenir of the Killing Curse, _Avada Kedavra_, that had killed his parents. Turning his attention away from his rather unpleasant past, Harry looked over the owls. One was his snowy-white owl Hedwig who he had recently sent on a normal letter to his godfather, who had been wrongfully accused of murder fifteen years ago, Sirius Black, the other, an old frail owl that Harry feared might be dead was Errol, the Weasley family's personal owl, the third was an owl that Harry didn't recognize but figured that the message had either come from Hagrid, the large half-giant who was the gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts, or was from his other friend Hermione Granger.  
Harry picked up Sirius's letter first and Hedwig affectionately nipped his hand and flew off to her cage.   
_Dear Harry,  
Thanks for your last letter. Harry, I have very bad news for you, and you probably haven't heard because of the Muggles_ _you live with. The dementors have been rioting at Azkaban, the Magical Law Enforcement Wizards barely managed to contain order. As you probably know I've been working for Dumbledore the last few months and there's a lot of stuff I'll have to tell you when you get to Hogwarts, don't send any more owls, it'll attract to much attention what with Dark Forces getting stronger.  
_  
_Good luck,_  
Sirus  


Harry was worried. "Don't send anymore owls..." that just didn't sound like Sirius. But Harry pushed his worries aside, after all, Sirius was working for Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful sorcerer in the world. He picked up Ron's owl after checking to be sure Errol was still breathing, and placed him next to Hedwig on the cage who seemed shocked that Harry would put such an undistinguished elderly owl next to her. Harry shrugged and read the letter.  
  
_Harry,  
Bad news from the Burrow. Fred and George "accidently" tested their new De Layed Action Paperweight Firecrackers on Percy's reports from the Ministry. It was insane! As you probably know, Perce was promoted to the Head of his department, man I've NEVER seen Mum or Dad this mad! Mum was saying that what Fred and George should be studying for their N.E.W.T.s and Dad actually was mad at Fred and George! He said that if they EVER do anything like that, Percy'd get kicked out of Ministry....oh man. Dad quit the Ministry himself last year to help Dumbledore, but still. Percy was absolutely GLOWING! And then Ginny picked up a bottle of their Impossible To Get Out Dye that they put in a shampoo bottle and washed her hair with it! Now she has jet-black hair and Fred and George said it won't come out for a year! Cool, huh?  
  
_Ron  
  
Sniggering, Harry then picked up Hermione's letter, it was written carefully in her neat scrawl.  
  
__Dear Harry,  
I've decided not to go to Bulgaria. So, I was wondering if you and Ron could come over to my house? If you can, we'll pick you up (by car, Ron told me what happened when the Weasleys used Floo powder) on Saturday at five. Send this owl with an answer write away!   
Love from,  
Hermione  


Harry hastily answered Hermione's letter accepting her invitation, and gave it to Hermione's owl, who nipped his fingers and was off.  
Harry sighed, Hermione's letter had created another problem, asking Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia if he could go.  
Normally, Harry would have asked them before telling Hermione that he could come, but in the last five years, Harry had learned enough about the Dursleys that he could easily pressure them into it.  
As he came downstairs he noticed that Aunt Petunia had already fixed breakfast, a single orange wedge for each of them as Dudley was now on the "Fruit Diet", having failed at the "No-Calorie Diet", the "Carbs Diet", and the "Starving Diet". No matter what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed to try, Dudley Dursley seemed to be approaching critical mass.   
Aunt Petunia acknowledged him gruffly, turning around to show him her horse-like face, "Breakfast is over. You don't get any, you little rat! Sleeping in and then expecting breakfast!"  
"No problem," Harry said, trying to stay calm. Harry had grown over the summer and now nearly topped six feet, unfortunately, the way the Dursley's fed him, he weighed a scant 115 pounds.  
"So," Uncle Vernon boomed, his mustache bristling, "That's how you treat your aunt, eh? 'No problem'? Well, I won't have that kind of insolence in my house! I'll-"  
Harry cut Uncle Vernon off, and lazily brushed a hand through his impossible curly black hair. "Uncle Vernon, I still haven't finished my letter to Sirius yet. I could easily tell him how the last few weeks have been going..." It was lie of course, but it got the reaction he wanted.  
Uncle Vernon gulped. The Dursleys still thought that Sirius Black was an escaped murderer, and feared his very name.  
"All right, Harry," Uncle Vernon said, smiling sweetly, but his face was slowly turning purple, "What do you want for breakfast?"  
"Actually," Harry began, "A friend from my school invited me to stay at her house for the last few weeks until term starts. They'll arrive by car, and her parents are Mug-" Harry checked himself there not wanting to say "Muggles" in front of the Dursleys, "normal like you are. Can I go?"  
Uncle Vernon was taken aback. Dudley meanwhile stole his orange wedge while Uncle Vernon was contemplating what to do, finally Uncle Vernon responded,  
"They'd come her in a civilized manner of course?"  
Harry nodded.  
"Fine then, you may go."  
Dudley fell out of his chair in shock, the crash shook the foundations of the house.


	2. Hermione

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Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Disclaimer: Same as Ch. 1, a few notes though, this is a HP/C&H (Calvin & Hobbes you fools, you should know that!) crossover, and is sort of Action/Adventure and Humor, especially later. There is also some Romance, but nothing more then PG (kissing). This is a completely pointless chapter, so I'm posting Chapter 3 at the same time, it begins some of the plot. This also a _very_ long fic. I've already written sixteen chapters and parts of seventeen. All agreed? Good. Read on, and enjoy, but also please review.

Chapter Two-Hermione  
On Saturday, Harry could hardly keep still, this was the earliest that he was ever going to get away from the Dursleys. Unbelievable. Even though he tried to take as long as he could getting ready and packing he was done by noon.   
In the front room Harry stood looking out the blinds continually checking his watch. One o'clock. Two. Three. Four. Four-thirty. Four-forty-five. Four-fifty. Four-fifty-five. Beeeeeeeep!!  
Apparently, Hermione's parents had the same need for puctuality that Hermione had, as they were there five minutes early. Quickly, before Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia could come out and harass the Grangers, and swooped up his bags, yelled "I'm leaving!" and raced out the door.  
Behind him, Harry heard loud yelling and screaming as Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia rushed out to make fun of the Grangers.  
The Grangers had a nice black SUV, and Hermione opened the back door for him. He jumped in, and landed in the right back seat.  
"Go Mum!" Hermione yelled from the left seat, where she was hastily was strapping herself in.  
Mrs. Granger complied and the car roared away from an entirely dismayed Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.  
"T-thanks Mrs. Granger," Harry panted, rushing to catch his breath after the sprint from house to car.  
"No problem," she said, "Our those your relatives?"  
"Yeah," Harry said, feeling smaller.  
"Well, they certainly were on the wrong side of your family tree, eh, Harry?"  
Harry smiled, and turned to really look at Hermione for the first time.  
She was sitting next to the window, about five feet from Harry. And she had _changed_! Hermione had grown as well and had filled out. Her hair, usually dull and lifeless had grown and was lying on her shoulders looking as stunning as it had on the night of the Yule Ball.  
"Her-my-own-nie?" Harry stammered.  
Hermione nodded and smiled. Harry melted. The only time he had ever felt this way about someone was Cho Chang...and then Harry realized. He had a crush on Hermione Granger!  
"Yes?" Hermione said, looking worried.  
Harry didn't know what to say, he had to say something, he couldn't just gawk at Hermione like this. What should he say?   
"Hermi-own-ie," he stammered again, "Where's Ron?"  
"Oh," Hermione said, now looking slightly disappointed, "He can't come for awhile, he'll arrive by Portkey tonight."  
"Oh," Harry replied, now thinking furiously, "What should he say to Hermione now, he had to keep the conversation going! "Um, what do your parents do for a living?"  
Hermione's face contorted into what, a smile? Of course! Harry mentally kicked himself, he should have known that! In fact Hermione had told him that in his first year! Nevertheless, she had to answer...he hoped. Harry liked hearing her voice all of a sudden.  
"Well, Harry, as I've said before...their dentists," And again Hermione smiled her smile, showing off the teeth she had gotten last year at Madam Pomfrey's after Draco Malfoy had cursed her teeth into enlarging. Hermione had Madam Pomfrey just shrink and line up her teeth a little.  
"So," Harry began, _What should he say?_, "Been following Quidditch lately?" Again Harry felt like hitting himself, Hermione _didn't_ follow Quidditch!  
"Um..." Hermione bit her lip, "Well, the Pride of Portree won't win the League Cup this year. Have you heard from Sirius lately?"  
Harry nodded and still nervous told her about how Sirius had told her that he couldn't send any more owls, but that he had told him he'd be coming to Hogwarts to talk to him. Hermione was shocked.  
"He's coming to Hogwarts? Oh no, what will the students say if they see him?"  
Harry leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder and felt the warmth that radiated through his fingers when he touched her.  
"Sirius'll be okay, Herms. He hasn't been caught in two years, has he?"  
Hermione nodded and looked down at Harry's hand on her shoulder. Harry felt extremely embarrassed and took his hand off. He could feel the red creeping up his face.  
"Harry?" Hermione said.  
Harry turned and still blushing, looked at Hermione.  
"It's OK. I'll move over."  
Harry wondered what Hermione meant. He saw and Hermione scooted over into the middle seat. Harry didn't know what to do, he was confused, why had Hermione moved over?  
Hermione suddenly started blushing profusely and mad a motion to move back over to the other seat.  
"Why are you moving again?"  
Hermione blushed more, if that was possible, "Ithayewwantedermrondmi."  
Harry didn't get it. "Huh?"  
Hermione took a deep breath, "I thought that you wanted to put your arm around me." She sighed and looked down.  
Harry felt like jumping up and down, "Of course!" he exclaimed, "I do. I'm sorry!" At this Harry noticed Mrs. Granger turn around in her seat slightly and look and Harry and Hermione. Harry felt his face go red.  
"Well...?" Hermione said.  
Harry, feeling estatic, put his arm around Hermione and kept it there for the rest of the drive.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Bad Dream

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Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Disclaimer: Same as Chs. 1 and 2. Calvin & Hobbes aren't in this story yet, I'm sorry. They will be and feature prominently in my two sequels. I have a great title for the second one, but I'm still working on my title for the third one. Also, as the story progresses, our favorite Voldie does a lot of conquering and such. I feel that some stories don't show just how much power Moldy Voldie has to gain before he can attack Hogwarts (which will happen in one of my three fics, but I'm not telling which one). This chapter will begin the plot! ::Homer impression:: Whoo-hoo!

Chapter Three-Bad Dream

When the SUV finally arrived at the Granger home, Harry didn't want to remove his arm from Hermione's shoulder, but he forced himself too, and grabbed his luggage. The Granger's lived in a gated community called Lillies of the Valley. The name gave Harry sort of a sad feeling as he remembered his mum, Lily Potter. The Grangers lived in a nice two-story white house with a small fountain in front, and a balcony in front of what Harry could assume was Hermione's room.  
"Great house," he said politely to Mrs. Granger.  
Mrs. Granger nodded and led them up the walkway to the house, and opened the door.  
"Hermi," she said, "Show Harry around the place, and then you can watch some TV. What time does your friend Ron come?"  
"5 o'clock Mum."  
Hermione's mother nodded and they walked in. She then walked into the kitchen to, Harry presumed, fix dinner.  
"So," Harry said smiling, "Show me around."  
Hermione smiled and showed her beautiful teeth, "OK," she began straight in there," she pointed into a room with a wide-screen TV, two sofas, a fireplace, a bookcase, and some plants. "That's the living room, where you and Ron will be sleeping, over there," she pointed at a closed door, "is the bathroom, and you saw my mum go into the kitchen."  
Harry nodded.  
"Upstairs," Hermione continued, pointing upward, "Is where the bedrooms are and another bathroom, that enough of a tour?"  
Harry shrugged, "Sure, where's your dad?"  
"Still at work, Mum was able to get the day off so she could bring you here. Too bad that the Dursleys," she spat out the name _Dursleys_ as though it was a swear word, "Don't approve of magic. Mum and Dad just got connected to the Floo Network, and have been itching to travel by Floo powder."  
Harry grimaced, remembering the first time he had traveled by Floo powder at the Weasley's in his second year, he had ended up down Knockturn Alley. It was one of the more Dark places on the London Underground.  
"Well," Hermione continued, "You want to watch some TV?"  
Harry nodded and they walked into the living room. They sat down on the couches and Harry wondered if he should put his arm around her again. Harry decided that it would be OK, since Hermione had given him permission on the car ride. Lightly, he placed his arm around her. He was rewarded by another Hermione-smile.  
"Harry-er, what do you want to watch?"  
Harry shrugged, personally, he wouldn't mind just sitting there with his arm around her. Instead he reached for the remote control. Picking it up he turned it on, and was greeting by the theme song to a _Whose Line is it Anyway?_ Marathon.   
"That alright, 'Mione?"  
Hermione nodded again, and they both turned their attention to the television screen.   
Several hours later, Harry and Hermione were laughing as Ryan Stiles was pretending to be a wizard, and of course doing it entirely wrong, but hilarious nevertheless. Their laughter was broken by a Mrs. Granger's scream, a shattering sound as she dropped whatever she was holding and the familiar voice of Ron Weasley apologizing profusely, "I'm _so_ sorry Mrs. Granger, very sorry."  
Harry flicked off the TV and they stood as one and Harry dropped his arm off her shoulder. Harry offered her his hand and she took it, blushing slightly. They then walked over to the kitchen and both of them tried unsuccessfully to not laugh at the sight that greeted them.  
Ron Weasley, now a little bit shorter then Harry, was standing there with a mixing bowl on his hand and some sort of batter sliding down his face. 

Apparently, Mrs. Granger had thrown it in the air when Ron had arrived by Portkey. Meanwhile, he was trying hard to keep his balance as he was slipping on some sort of thick liquid that was on the floor, as he was attempting to pick up glass shards. Ron turned at the sound of their laughter and smiled sheepishly. A few minutes later, still sniggering, Harry and Hermione helped out Ron and Mrs. Granger and then washed out Ron's face. Finally, they pulled Ron into the living room.  
"Hey Ron," Harry said, still smiling.  
"Hey there Harry, what have you and Hermione been up too?" Ron said with a gleam in his eye.  
Both Harry and Hermione blushed, and Harry answered Ron's question, "Just watching some TV."  
"Are you sure you weren't doing anything else? Like snogging?" Ron said mischievously.  
Hermione cut in, "For Heaven's sake Ron! No! He had his arm around me, that's it!"  
"Oh," it was now Ron's turn to be embarrassed, and he hastily changed the subject, "So, what do you want to do?"  
"Study for the O.W.L.S.," Hermione said immediately.  
Harry sighed. Ron rolled his eyes.  
"What?" Hermione said innocently, looking at them, "Studying is important, your fifth year is the major step towards becoming a fully-trained wizard!"  
Ron mimicked Hermione, "It's a beautiful day outside, perfect for flying, talking a walk, or doing something fun! Instead let's just study!"  
Harry tried to hide his snigger, and Hermione looked daggers at both of them.  
"Sorry Herms," Harry said, "It was just funny."  
To his surprise Hermione Granger smiled that smile that made Harry feel as though he was floating in air. Ron seemed to notice Harry's look, and rolled his eyes again, he looked at Hermione and noticed she was looking at Harry in the same way.  
"When your done giving each other moon eyes," Ron said, "Could we possibly do _something_?"  
Harry tore his eyes off of Hermione and nodded at Ron, "What do you want to do?"  
Hermione looked at Ron, "You ever heard of a computer?"  
A puzzled look appeared on Ron's face, "A pomcumpter? Sure. A meelivision set with a tapboard right?"  
It was now Harry and Hermione's turn to snigger. And snigger they did.  
"No, Ron," Hermione said through her laughter, "It's a computer, a monitor, it looks like a TV screen, and a keyboard, come on, I'll show you some cool stuff. Up in my room." Then Hermione called out to her mum, "Mum! We're going on-line! Don't use the telephone, OK?"  
Ron looked strangely at Hermione, "Don't you mean fellytone?"  
Harry and Hermione exploded into gales of laughter as they ran up into Hermione's room.  
Hermione's room wasn't that great, pink walls, pink bed, a bookcase, that took up an entire wall by itself, a large writer's desk, and on the desk, a fairly new computer, complete with monitor, tower, and a keyboard.   
"Feel free to borrow some books while I boot-up the computer."  
Harry nodded and despite that it was against his nature, Harry looked at Hermione's bookshelf, surprisingly, most of the books were wizard fictions rather then schoolbooks, but he noticed an entire portion of Hermione's shelf was dedicated to...Quidditch books? Maybe Hermione was finally becoming interested in things outside of textbooks. Harry looked at a few of the titles, _Winning With the Wanderers, Fly Like an Falcon (The Story of the Falmouth Falcons), Which Broomstick_, and _Quidditch Through the Ages_.  
Hermione's voice rang out, "There, come over here Ron...Harry."  
Harry and Ron sauntered over to the computer and Harry watched amused as Hermione attempted to lecture Ron about the Internet,  
"Now, here, Ron, this is an e-mail, it's actually faster then sending owls, rumor has it the Ministry might be using some e-mails for quick communication. I'll bet your Dad'll love that! Now this, see, is an icon, you click on an icon to stop a page from loading, reload a page, get your e-mail, etcetera. Got that?"  
To Harry's amusement, Ron somehow managed to bungle up the names of every term, to Ron Weasley an icon was a "piecon", e-mail was "seamall", and Internet was "Tinderbet." Despite Hermione and occasionally Harry's help, Ron was making little progress by the time Mrs. Granger's voice rang out, "Log off, dear! Your father's home!"  
After racing down the stairs, Harry, Hermione and Ron, met the Grangers and ate a fantastic shepard's pie with baked Alaska for dessert. After the meal, Harry and Ron changed into their pyjamas, and went into the living room to sleep on the couches. Harry quickly drifted off into sleep.  
_Lord Voldemort smiled. The Death Eaters nearby drew back in fear. When the Dark Lord smiled, something was going to happen. Bad.   
"Lucius!" Voldemort called out. Hurrying, Lucius Malfoy rushed up and bowed before his lord. "Get up, Lucius," Voldemort said lazily. Quickly, Lucius got up.  
"What is it my Lord?"  
Voldemort smiled cruelly, "I have chosen you for my attack on the Minister."  
Mr. Malfoy bowed his head, "It is an honor, my Lord."  
"You will of course, capture him while he is on a goodwill mission to Beauxbatons in France. The good Minister may not believe I have returned," at this Voldemort smiled ruefully, "But he still respects Dumbledore's opinion, he'll attempt to unite the wizards, if not the dementors or giants. If we act now, we may put the Ministry in such a disarray that only a junior offical will run it."  
"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy began, "Should we not expose ourselves so soon?"  
Voldemort drew out his wand, Malfoy tensed as he knew what was going to happen. "_Crucio!_" Lucius Malfoy yelped in pain as he writhed on the ground. Voldemort laughed. Suddenly, he drew his wand back, and Lucius Malfoy slowly got up trembling. "Why doubt me Lucius? Fudge will go to Beauxbatons will many high-ranking members of the Ministry! He thinks all of then will help "protect" him. We will prove him wrong!"_  
Meanwhile, quite incoinadently, Harry Potter woke up screaming and clutching his scar in the living room of the Granger household.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Phoenix Underground

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Four-The Phoenix Underground  
Ron immediately awoke and grabbed Harry. The Grangers rushed in looking worried, and seemed to have a sincere concern for Harry. Hermione rushed in looking paler and more worried then anyone else, and this gave Harry some comfort.  
"Harry, Harry, are you OK?"  
Smiling through the piercing pain in his scar, Harry nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine 'Mione. Bad dream."  
This didn't calm Hermione down much, if anything, it made her more nervous, as she knew the subject of Harry's "bad dreams".

"Should you write to Sirius?"  
Again, Harry nodded and choked out, "Voldemort," 

Ron gasped, while Hermione and the Grangers nodded. Harry continued, "He's going to attack Fudge at Beauxbatons, weaken the Ministry."  
Ron and Hermione paled. The Grangers were confused. 

"Harry," Hermione said quietly, still in shock. "I'll write to Dumbledore. You stay here and rest." She turned to her mother, "Mum, get Harry a damp cloth. For Heaven's sake, Ron, let go of him and let him get back to sleep!"  
And with that, she rushed upstairs.  
Ron let go of Harry, and he sank back down onto the couch. Mrs. Granger ran back with a wet cloth where she placed on his head. The pain in Harry's scar abated after awhile, and Hermione came back down to tell Harry that she had sent her letter to Dumbledore with Hedwig. Soon enough, everyone was back to sleep and Harry dreamt only pleasant dreams the rest of the night.  
***********************************************************  
Harry's answer from Dumbledore came the next day and to Harry, Ron, and Hermione's great surprise was not sent by owl post, but by phoenix post. Fawkes, Dumbledore's faithful and beautiful phoenix came through the Granger diningroom window. They had just eaten a hearty breakfast, which Harry was had thoroughly enjoyed, as he had virtually nothing to eat that summer with the Dursleys. The Grangers had already gone to work.  
Hermione was the first to reach Fawkes as she was sitting closest to the window, next to Harry. She quickly stroked Fawkes a few times, and handed the letter to Harry. "Read it."  
Harry nodded, opened the letter, and read aloud.  
"_Dear Harry and Hermione,  
I was afraid of this. Lord Voldemort doesn't want to stay quiet this time for long. I've warned Minister Fudge, but Cornelius won't listen. He still believes Rita Skeeter, despite the fact that she's gone missing._" Hermione grinned guiltily, it had been Hermione who had figured out that Rita Skeeter was a beetle Animagus, and had taught her a lesson by keeping her in a glass jar for awhile before letting her go. Harry continued, "_I've warned as many people as I could, but so far only Ludo Bagman has agreed to refuse to go. I doubt Cornelius would have let him go anyway. I'll have some of my allies there to help them, we should stop Voldemort. For now. Hagrid and Madam Maxime have been visiting the giants, but things aren't looking good. Meanwhile, the dementor situation at Azkaban is getting worse.   
Due to this, I am asking you two to join the Phoenix Underground._"   
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Harry looked at Hermione and saw that she was shocked, and Ron seemed outraged. Apparently, Harry had missed yet another normal wizarding thing that was normal knowledge for every other witch and wizard.   
"What is it?"  
Ron turned away disgusted and marched straight out of the room. Hermione sighed.   
"Well, Harry," Hermione began, "The Phoenix Underground was formed in 1697, during the rein of the Dark wizard Drowan L'Kurse in France. The Underground was founded by Wilson Maxime, Yorty Moody, and two British sorcerers James Arrow, and Shawton Dumbledore," Harry was momentarily stunned, _Dumbledore?_ Hermione continued, "L'Kurse was an extremely powerful wizard, and he managed to capture a good portion of Western Europe until he was defeated by the Underground using a new weapon, the Order of the Phoenix.  
"No one willing to tell knows what the Order was, all that is known is that Arrow and Dumbledore created it, and the Underground Four were able to destroy L'Kurse because of it. The Underground eventually had several members added to it and helped defeat the many Dark wizards of the late 1700's. It is now suspected that there could be as many as fifty members. Some of the known members of the Underground are: Albus Dumbledore, who defeated Grindelwald in 1945, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Olympe Maxime, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher and another man named Arrow, although only his name is known nothing about his age or nationality, or powers.  
"The Underground can be called in at anytime, usually for the reason of the rise of a new Dark wizard. During You-Know-You's last rein, Dumbledore and Fletcher were reportedly working on re-creating the Order of the Phoenix. However, Harry, you stopped all work on the Order, when you defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."  
Harry was bewildered, the Order of the Phoenix? The Underground? But why...?  
"Hermione, why is he asking us to join?"  
Hermione looked him in the eye, "I expect because you...you...have that scar," Hermione reached out and touched his forehead, and seemed a little bewildered, "Harry, your scar...it's...it's..." Hermione shook her head, and stared again, "Harry, your scar's gone"  
"What?" Harry was bewildered, and he grabbed his scar, it felt like the lightening-bolt that was always there. "Herms, it's still there."  
Hermione blinked. "So it is. It faded in and out for awhile. Then, it was gone. But it's back. I must have imagined it. Anyway, Dumbledore probably asked us 'cause you defeated You-Know-Who once, and," here Hermione blushed, embarrassed. "My overall average at Hogwarts is a 124%." She looked away, her face red.  
Harry smiled, "Hermi," Hermione turned to look at Harry, "Why was Ron so mad?"  
Hermione sighed deeply, "Well, Harry, it's like this. Do you know what Ron's going through?"  
Harry shook his head.  
"Well, Harry, I'm not surprised Ron didn't tell you, but ever since 1708, all of the Weasleys have been members in the Phoenix Underground. However, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George haven't been asked to join, and joining the Underground would make him shine above his brothers. Instead, he sees his two best friends be asked to join."  
"Oh," this startled Harry a little, and made him feel more sympathetic towards Ron.   
"Well," Hermione said, "You do want to join, right?"  
Harry nodded, still a little shocked about the news from Ron.  
Hermione flipped over the letter Dumbledore had written them, and wrote their acceptance of the posts in the Underground. After sending Fawkes off, they walked out of the kitchen. They both knew what they were going to do. Try to talk to Ron.  
They found Ron upstairs in Hermione's room on the computer. He was in a chat room titled "HogwartsChat". Ron, in his attempts to concentrate on using the computer didn't hear Hermione and Harry come up, and they looked at the screen on which Ron was typing, under Hermione's screen name: Hermi745 :  
  
****Welcome to HogwartsChat****  
OnlineHost: Anti-Muggle Charm has been turned _on_. Only witches and wizards going to Hogwarts can access this chat.  
  
Hermi745: Hello? Anyone there.  
HeirOfHufflepuff: Hey Hermione.  
Hermi745: I;m not Hermione.  
PureBlood: Hey Mudblood! Tired of schoolwork I see.  
HeirOfHufflepuff: Sure, your not.  
Hermi745: right, I;m not, Shut up.  
PureBlood: ::wounded:: How did you know it was me, Mudblood?  
HeirOfHufflepuff: ::rolls eyes::  
  
"_Ahem_." This came from Hermione, and Ron whipped around.  
"Oh, it's the Phoenixes."  
Hermione seemed a little irritable. "How'd you get on my screen name and password?"  
Ron looked embarrassed, "I saw you type it in yesterday."  
Hermione looked as though she was ready to kill Ron, and Harry held her shoulders and slightly pulled her back.  
"How could you Ron?," she said, "Do you know how private that is?"  
Ron looked down, "Sorry, Herms. I just had to see if I could get on-line."  
Harry stared at Ron, "So, are you not mad at us anymore?"  
Ron smiled sheepishly, "No, it's just the Weasley Rage, I have a short temper, and I'm really sorry. Hermione, could you teach me more about this Tinderbet?"  
Laughing, Harry and Hermione reached over to help Ron.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. The Prefect Couple

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger

Disclaimer: OK, I forgot the disclaimer for the last chapter, JKR owns everything, except the situation. BTW, I'm H/H so that's what your always going to find my fics, if that bothers you, well, that's your opinion. In any event we will see Calvin in Chapter 7, which should be posted tomorrow. When C&H get into the story things get a little crazy, but there still is a plot. Also, please review every review I get really makes me feel like I'm a great writer. With the exception of flames, which will be ignored but not deleted 'cuz the more reviews I get the more popular the story looks. I'm posting chapter six at the same time because these chapters are extremely short. Never fear after this they get much longer.  
Chapter Five-The Prefect Couple  
That night, Harry had no visions of Lord Voldemort, and was quite refreshed when he woke up. He felt even better when a regular Hogwarts owl came in giving the book lists for the next year to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. There were also two extra letters for Harry and Hermione that they decided to open later.  
Harry opened his list and wasn't that surprised at most of the books. After all, the only new teacher would be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher as the previous four had only lasted one year.  
_A History of Magic_, by Bathilda Bagshot  
_The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5_ by Miranda Goshawk  
_An Intermediate Guide to Transfiguration _by Emric Switch  
_More Unfogging the Future_ by Claire Voyant  
_Aurors, Unforgivables, Death Eaters, and the Dark Mark_ by H. Siberia  
"Huh," Ron said. "Looks like the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was an Auror or something.  
Hermione nodded, and wrinkled her brow, "H. Siberia," she muttered, "Where have I heard that before?"  
Harry and Ron looked and each other, and turned towards Hermione at the same time, "_Hogwarts, A History_!"  
Hermione looked disapprovingly at Harry and Ron as they sniggered loudly. "Oh, shut up. Your probably right though," she passed Harry his letter, "Let's see what this is, hmmm?"  
Harry took the letter, and quietly opened it. Harry pulled out the letter and gasped. A roll of parchment and a prefect badge fell out.  
_Dear Mr. Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a prefect for Gryffindor House. Thank for your five years of wonderful grades, and hard work!  
Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
_Harry was momentarily stunned until he heard Hermione's squeal of delight, and her yell, "I'm a prefect!"  
Harry looked up from his letter and saw Hermione smiling broadly, and he walked over to her, and before he knew what he was doing, he hugged her. Harry felt his face go red with embarrassment, but luckily, Hermione hugged him back. After a few more seconds, they heard Ron's voice, 

"Hullo? Come up for air Harry!"  
Even more embarrassed, Harry and Hermione pulled out of their hug, and stared at Ron, "So, you're both prefects, huh?" Ron grinned devilishly, "Well, I've got a nickname worthy of Fred and George," Harry braced himself to chase Ron down if necessary, "The Prefect Couple!" And Ron started sniggering.  
Harry rolled his eyes, and decided to ignore Ron. He turned to Hermione, "When to we go to Diagon Alley?  
"Tomorrow," Hermione said matter-of-factly, and Harry nodded.  
"They going to break in their new Floo powder?"  
Hermione nodded. "They're extremely lucky they can use it. Most Muggles can't stand being thrust about like that. I guess that because they had me they can travel by some magical ways."  
Ron laughed, and Harry and Hermione turned around to look at Ron. "I was just remembering," Ron said, "What my dad has had to go through at the Ministry sometimes. This one Muggle bought an old couch off old Mundungus Fletcher that he bewitched into a Portkey. My dad really had to work some Memory Charms on that one. 

The Muggle was having a party because England was in the Football World Cup. Ten people were transferred at once, and it was pretty ugly, 'cause most of them couldn't stand magical transport. One of them appeared twenty feet off the ground and nearly snapped his leg off. Another one had a Muggle drink can affixed to his ankle, and there were some others. Really nasty stuff."  
"And this is funny how?" Hermione said, giving Ron her McGonagall look.  
"Well-but, er," Ron sputtered.  
"You see Ron, it's things like this that lead up to wizard persecution in the 1650's to the late 1700's. Why, in 1692 the wizards were drafting up plans to go into hiding!"  
"Oh, thanks Miss History of Magic," Ron said sarcastically, "I really don't care."  
"Oh, really, Ron? Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it!"  
"Well, with you here, we won't have to worry about that will we?"  
Harry couldn't stand it anymore, "WILL YOU PLEASE STOP IT, YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A BUNCH OF FIRST-YEARS!"  
Hermione wheeled on him, "Oh really, Harry Potter? Well, you don't own me!"  
Harry backed down. He didn't want to, but he knew what happened when Hermione got mad. He still remembered when she took a swing at Draco Malfoy, "Sorry."  
Hermione sighed, "No, I'm sorry. We shouldn't act like this." Hermione turned to Ron, "I'm sorry Ron."  
Ron half-smiled, "No, I'm sorry Hermione. It was my fault. No harm done."  
Harry looked into the living room and looked at the TV, "Well, you want to watch some television?"  
Hermione nodded, but Ron just looked confused.  
"Come here Ron," Hermione sighed, "We'll show you how this works.


	6. Announcement at Diagon Alley

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Six-Announcement at Diagon Alley  
"OK, dad. Now here. This is how you use Floo powder. You take a pinch of this dust, and throw it into the fire. You then yell, "Diagon Alley!" and step through the flames. Watch Ron."  
Hermione gave Ron a bit of the powder, and Harry watched as Ron tossed the powder into the flames, which turned green, and confidently yelled, "Diagon Alley!" and walked in.  
Hermione then gave a pinch of it to Harry who, after placing his glasses safely in his pocket, tossed it into the flames and yelled, "Diagon Alley!"  
Immediately Harry was deposited at Diagon Alley, however uncomfortable the trip was, Harry was out of a fireplace relatively quickly, and rolled into the streets of Diagon Alley. Harry turned around, and read, "DIAGON ALLEY FLOO STATION" on a sign over a fireplace, he then felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Ron standing there. Harry nodded and opened his mouth to say something when Hermione's father popped out of the fireplace, then lost his balance and fell. Harry and Ron rushed over to help Mr. Granger who was glowing with pride.  
"I did it! I traveled by magical means!"  
Harry had to smile, he had once had the same feeling of exhilaration when Hagrid had come to where the Dursley's had been staying and told him that he was a wizard. After they helped Mr. Granger up, they saw Hermione's mum come out of the fireplace, followed by Hermione herself. Hermione was the only one who hadn't stumbled.  
As they walked through Diagon Alley, Harry tried to stay as close as he could to Hermione, and felt a sudden impulse to hold her hand. He decided to be nonchalant and just let his arm swing, and clasp her hand. He ignored Ron, who was looking completely amused as Harry tried to put his plan into play, and missed Hermione's hand several times, managed to get a few of her fingers and finally got her hand.  
Naturally, as they were in Diagon Alley, one of the first shops they saw was "Quality Quidditch Supplies", and Ron rushed over to the entrance. Harry, meanwhile, was in a quandary, should he leave Hermione's hand, and follow Ron in the Quidditch store, or stay with Hermione?  
Surprisingly, Hermione solved the conflict for Harry.  
"Mum," she said, "Harry and I are going to Quality Quidditch Supplies, I need to buy a broom, I'll use my Christmas money."  
"Actually 'Mione," Mr. Granger said, "We need to leave, so will pick you up here in two hours OK?"  
Hermione nodded, and then Hermione led Harry over to the store. He stared at her in shock. Hermione seemed to notice this and she flashed him a smile that made him temporarily forget why he had been in shock. Then, Harry remembered.  
"You....want to buy a broom?"  
Hermione nodded.  
"Why? You don't fly."  
Hermione smiled, "Oh, but I do."  
Harry stared at Hermione in confusion, but that passed when they walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies. All of the latest brooms were on display. Harry was stunned, when Hermione tore her hand away from his and began talking animatedly to the clerk about the latest brooms: the Nimbus 2500, the Twigger 150, the Firebolt, the Cleansweep Fourteen, and the Comet 430.  
Harry already had a broom, a Firebolt, it had been a gift from his godfather Sirius, and at the time had been the best racing broom on the market. Now Harry noticed a Firebolt was only 85 Galleons, and some of the other brooms; especially the Twigger were all well in the hundreds. Perhaps he should update his broom.  
"Can I help you?"  
That voice was familiar...Harry turned around, and saw the smiling face of Lee Jordan! Lee was Weasley twins' friend and also went to Hogwarts. Like the twins he was going to be in his seventh year at Hogwarts.  
"Hullo Lee," Harry said, "You working here?"  
Lee smiled, with a twinkle in his eye, "That I am Harry. Summer job, dad's worried I might not get a job as an announcer for the Chudley Cannons."  
Harry chuckled, Lee was well known for his biased commentaries during Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch matches. Harry could still hear Jordan now...  
"Johnson closing in on Flint. Poke him in the eye Angelina! Just kidding Professor!"  
"So, Harry, thinking of getting a new broom?"  
Lee Jordan's question pulled Harry out of the past.  
"Er, yeah. What would you say is the best?"  
"Well," Lee said thoughtfully, "The Nimbus 2500 is fast, but some say it overturns a tad, the Cleansweeps and Comets are as reliable as ever, and their a good buy, but...it's the Twigger 150 that's the best. Maximum speed of 275 miles an hour, and unlike the Twigger 90 these don't warp under high speeds. Best Braking Charm on the market, yes. Certainly would help your play as Seeker."  
Harry thought about it and decided to ask the price.  
"Well the 'Sweep-14 is 130 Galleons, the Comet the same. That new Nimbus is about 275, and the Twigger is a flat 400."  
Harry was dumbstruck. "_Four hundred Galleons!"_  
Lee Jordan smiled, "Of course Harry I can get you a nice fat discount since your a friend of mine, so...I'll charge you 310 Galleons, sixteen Sickles, three Knuts."  
Harry thought it over. The Twigger looked like a great buy and at a reduced cost, and he could afford it. After all he had nearly two million Galleons in his vault. He nodded.  
Just then Hermione rushed over carrying a new broom in her hands, "Harry! Guess what! I just bought the new Twigger 150! I had to borrow a little more from my parents, but I've got the best broom yet!"  
Lee Jordan seemed a little shocked at Hermione's 

1. Appearance

2. Sudden interest in Quidditch.  
"So, Ms. Granger, nice to see you."  
Hermione turned, "Oh hi, Lee."  
"Well," Lee continued, "Your not the only one to buy a Twigger," he pointed at Harry. "I'll get it now Harry."  
Hermione smiled, "You got one too?"  
Harry nodded, "Herms," he began, "Why the sudden interest in Quidditch? I thought you were afraid of flying?"  
Hermione shrugged. "I was afraid, but my parents forced me to go to Flying Camp. Since their Muggles, they want me to have a full wizarding experience. It was fantastic! Flying, what a great feeling! Plus, I guess I can't live entirely in books. That gets boring after awhile."  
Harry nodded, and accepted the broom from Lee and paid for it. "Shall we leave?"  
Hermione nodded, "If we can ever get Ron away from those Chudley Cannons robes." She gestured to Ron who was staring at the robes with a gleam in his eye, he was obviously wishing he could have them. Harry and Hermione walked over, hand-in-hand, and Ron didn't notice. Sniggering, Harry waved his hand a few times in front of Ron's face. Ron blinked and his eyes deglazed.  
"Where to now?"  
Harry shrugged. Hermione, on the hand, answered matter-of-factly, "Flourish and Blotts."  
"I thought," Harry said sarcastically, "That it got boring just living in books."  
Hermione stared daggers at Harry. If looks could kill, Harry would have been dead.   
"Anyway," Hermione began, looking coldly at Harry, "We need to pick up our up our books."  
Harry nodded. He felt like a complete git. He always did after he insulted Hermione and he wished she could take his joking less seriously. Harry sighed, and the three walked out of Quality Quidditch Supplies.  
"Sorry, 'Mione," Harry said softly.  
"No problem, Harry," Hermione said, smiling at him. "It's no big deal. I really should take these things less seriously."  
With another sigh, this one of relief, and Harry took Hermione's hand in his and smiled as he felt the warmth that her touch gave him throughout his body. He really liked her. He couldn't believe he had never seen her like this before. Harry idly wondered why she had decided not to go to Bulgaria to see Krum.  
"So Hermione," Ron's voice broke into Harry's thoughts, "Why didn't you go to Bulgaria to see Krum?"  
Harry felt Hermione's hand shudder at the mention of Krum's name. Harry was surprised at this, but more so at that Ron had just said what Harry had just been thinking.  
"Oh...er, well...he always got jealous when you or Harry paid attention to me," Hermione began, "And I saw him kissing Hannah, a Hufflepuff girl, when we got off the Hogwarts Express, and I was going to ask him when I was should to go to Bulgaria."  
"Oh," Ron said.  
Harry looked at Hermione who was looking pretty mad, apparently thinking about Viktor Krum and Hannah Abbott kissing.  
"I'm sorry Herms," Harry said.  
"Don't be sorry, Harry," Hermione said, "I'm over Viktor."   
She smiled at Harry and Harry smiled back.  
They were still looking at each other when Ron suddenly cleared his throat.  
"Uh, guys, should you want to continue on, Flourish and Blotts is this way."  
"Oh," Harry and Hermione said at the same time, and started on to the bookstore.  
At Flourish and Blotts Hermione quickly got her books, and so did Harry, and they walked out hand-in-hand accidentally leaving Ron inside the bookstore reading _Flying with the Arrows_, a book about the Appleby Arrows. They were well on their way to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, as they both needed new robes since they had grown so much over the summer holidays.  
When they realized Ron was missing, they started to turn back, but Harry, who suddenly had an idea, pulled Hermione back.  
"Hermione," he said nervously. He hadn't remembered feeling this nervous ever, not even in the car with Hermione on the way to her house, nor asking Cho Chang to the dance, or even fighting Voldemort. Harry also knew that she would probably say yes, especially since they were walking hand-in-hand and all, "Will you be my girlfriend?"  
Hermione lips spread into an extremely wide smile, "Of course!"  
Harry bent down to kiss Hermione, and put his arms around her, and she came to him, hugging him gently. They were only two inches apart, one inch, half-an-inch, quarter-of-an-inch.  
"Hey, so there you are!"  
Harry and Hermione quickly separated and looked at Ron Weasley who was looking at the two, with what Harry supposed must have been bemusement at having caught Harry and Hermione about to kiss.  
Blushing, Hermione gestured towards Madam Malkin's, "We were just going to go and pick up our school robes."  
Ron sniggered, "Sure you were Hermi. Sure you were."  
"We were Ron," Harry broke in, "Now why don't we go in?"  
After going and picking up their new school and dress robes, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to Florence Fortescue's for some choco-nut sundaes. As they were laughing at Ron's telling of his mum's reaction to Ginny's hair turning black, all of a sudden every one at the ice cream parlor gasped. A huge number of Death Eaters had just Apparated in the _middle of the street_.  
One of them pointed his wand at his throat and magically amplified his voice, as Ludo Bagman had done at the Quidditch World Cup.  
"Attention residents of Diagon Alley! We will not attack you now, for the one we fear is near! This is but an announcement, Cornelius Fudge and several high-ranking Ministry officials were murdered today in France. The dementors have destroyed Azkaban and let it's prisoners free! The schools will be next! Beware all who refuse to join the Dark Side! Your new leader is now, indeed, LORD VOLDEMORT, who has come to power again!"  
And then, in a flash, they Disapparated.  
Harry quickly looked at Ron and Hermione who both looked deathly ill. Ron kept muttering under his breath, just loud enough for Harry to hear, "Percy...was Percy there...Percy...was Percy there...is Percy d-d-d-dead?"  
Harry then swiveled around in his chair and looked at the patrons of the ice cream parlor.  
Several men and women had fainted. Small children were screaming, "Why did they say his name, why did they say his name?"  
Florence Fortescue was standing there, looking as though Petrified, the remnants of an ice cream cone she had been making laying there at her feet.  
Suddenly, Harry's scar hurt and he cried out in pain.  
_"So," Lord Voldemort said, looking at the Death Eaters who had just Appareted back. "What was their reaction?"  
The Death Eater who had amplified his voice spoke up, "Fear my lord, fear. Complete fear."  
"Very good Malfoy," the Dark Lord said, "And do you know who will become Minister now?"  
Several Death Eaters shook their heads, Voldemort saw this and raised his wand, "Do not move in my presence! _Cruciomulia_!"  
The Death Eaters who had shaken their heads fell to the ground writhing. Finally, after several minutes, he let them go.  
"Do not show such insolence to me gentlemen, or else. Since we killed every Ministry Head of Department save one who was not allowed to go for his young age. The fools at the Ministry will know be led by Minister of Magic Percy Weasley!"  
"But, my Lord," one of the Death Eaters said, getting on his knees, "What of Ludovic Bagman? He wasn't there at the attack!"  
"Ahhhhh," Voldemort said, smiling, "I took care of Bagman, _personally_. Now, as punishment for speaking without permission, Crabbe-"  
"No, my Lord!" Crabbe cried out.  
"_Crucio_!" Voldemort yelled with all of his might.  
_"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Harry Potter was clutching his scar and screaming loudly. "PERCY!"  
Harry suddenly felt a hand clamp around his mouth. He tried to move around it, but this was in vain, as the hand tightened it's grip on his mouth. He looked up at who it belonged to, and saw that it was Hermione looking paler then he had ever seen her.  
Breathing more easily, and now not squirming away, Harry suddenly felt Hermione release her hand. Harry then noticed he was laying on the ground at the ice cream parlor. He looked up at Ron, who was also looking over him, and was even more white-faced then Hermione, "What happened to Percy?"  
Harry smiled sadly, "He's the new Minister of Magic, the Death Eaters killed every Department Head, and Voldemort killed Bagman himself. I guess even Dumbledore's people couldn't save Fudge."  
Ron grimaced, "Percy as Minister? He's only 19!"_   
_Harry shrugged, "I don't know that just what Voldemort said."  
Ron gasped and said through clenched teeth, "_Don't say his name!_"  
Harry nodded, and slowly got up off the floor. He suddenly noticed that everyone in the parlor was looking at him as though he had gone mad, and Harry figured most of them had probably read Rita Skeeter's article on him last year, which made things much worse.  
"Er, sorry," Harry said as he dusted himself off, he leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "Is it time to leave to meet your parents yet?"  
Hermione nodded, and the three walked out of the ice cream parlor were everyone wondered the same thing, _Had Harry Potter gone mad?  
  
  
_


	7. Dumbledore's Great-grandson

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Disclaimer: Finally, C&H arrive in my story! So far I've written twenty and a quarter chapters, so eight through eleven will be up next week (I hope). The reason why it takes so long is that I have to e-mail my story to another computer with Windows, 'cuz my iBook won't work. Also, _please_ review, it's not that great of a feeling to have an average of 1.1 reviews per chapter. ::grin:: Read, **_review_**, and enjoy!

****

Chapter Seven-Dumbledore's Great-grandson

  
Back at the Granger's Harry and Hermione spent a noticeable amount of time together. Harry hadn't gotten up the nerve to try and kiss her again since the attempt to kiss her at Diagon Alley. Harry wished he wasn't so nervous around girls. He wished he could be like Fred, "Oy, Angelina, will you go to the ball with me?" Maybe, he could kiss her on the Hogwarts Express, as it was now September first, and in a few hours they would be leaving for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  


Harry sighed and was soon shaken out of his thoughts we he heard Ron excitedly talking to Hermione and pointing at several Muggle objects, "Hermi, what's this? And this? This? This? And this?"  
Harry looked at Hermione who looked sort of bewildered and answered, "A beeper, an electric table-lamp, a microphone, a flute, a few banknotes, Muggle money, as you'd call it, and a tape recorder."  


"Wow!" Ron enthused, "A grape precorder! Dad doesn't even have one of those!"  


Harry could tell that Hermione was struggling not to bust out laughing as she told Ron that he could keep the tape recorder.

  
"So," Harry said, "We've got everything packed, right?"  


Hermione nodded immediately, and Ron nodded absently, ignoring Harry. At the moment, he had learned how to record his voice and replay it in fast-forward, making him sound like a chipmunk.   
Harry drummed his fingers on the table. He looked over to the clock, it was almost 10:30 in the morning. They'd have to be at King's Cross in half an hour to catch the Hogwarts Express.   


Harry heard Hermione sigh.  


"What is it Hermi?" Harry inquired.  


Hermione sighed again, "Fudge and all of those other Ministry witches and wizards were killed in that Death Eater attack even though Dumbledore was protecting them. That doesn't make any sense."

  
Harry nodded, it didn't make any sense, usually Dumbledore and his forces were able to defeat the Dark Side, but this time they had failed. 

Hermione continued, "Not to mention the fact that he hasn't written to us telling us what happened and such."  


Harry shrugged, "Maybe he wanted to tell us in person, or maybe Sirius will tell us."  


Hermione nodded, "Yes, your probably right. I always have worried too much, and besides we've got to go soon. I'll tell Mum to get the SUV out of the garage."  


Hermione left in a rush and was back just as quickly as she had left. Hermione's mum was with her, as her dad had left for work already.  


"OK," Mrs. Granger began, "Are you guys ready to get to King's Cross?"

  
Harry, Hermione, and Ron all answered with a hearty "Yes!" and they went out and piled into the car. Ron and Mrs. Granger went into the front while Harry and Hermione went into the back. A little less nervously then before, Harry put her arm around Hermione and was rewarded with another Hermione-smile. Harry blushed at this while Ron rolled his eyes. Other then that, the ride to King's Cross was rather uneventful.  


After arriving at King's Cross, Hermione hugged and kissed her mum goodbye, and Ron and Harry thanked Mrs. Granger for letting them stay over. Then they walked up to the metal barrier on Platform 9 that was the entrance to Platform 9 and 3/4.  


The trick about getting through the barrier was to go through with out the Muggles waiting for trains noticing you. Harry decided that he would go first, and while chatting nonchalantly with Ron and Hermione he laid his arm on the barrier and slipped through.   
Harry quickly came out of the barrier and saw the scarlet locomotive that was the Hogwarts Express, as well as several of his friends. Harry suddenly felt a hand take his, and he looked at Hermione and smiled. Ron came out next, saw the two of them holding hands, smiled slightly, and walked up with them to the rest of the Weasleys.  


"Oy, how are you there Ron?" Fred said heartily.  


"Hey there, Ron, hullo Harry, Hermione," George said and then he noticed Harry and Hermione holding hands, "Well, what have we here? I do believe that you two are prefects, so I suppose, we have the-"  


"Prefect couple," chorused Harry and Hermione.  


George looked shocked, "Where did you-"  


Harry cut George off, "Ron came up with the name." He gestured towards Ron.  


Ginny Weasley, with her new black hair, shyly came up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She also had grown over the summer holidays, but not much. With her black hair and blue eyes, she looked somewhat like Harry's little sister might have, had he had one. Harry refused to dwell on this, he knew his parents were dead, and he really couldn't remember much about them. Nonetheless, Harry wished they were still here to see him go to Hogwarts.  


Ginny looked almost on the verge of tears, and it suddenly hit all of them why. Ever since Harry's second year, and Ginny's first, she had a terrible crush on Harry which he devoutly wished she didn't have. Now, seeing Harry with his girlfriend, it must be painful, but Harry never had returned Ginny's feelings.  


"Hello there, Ginny," Hermione said, "How are you?"  


Ginny looked from Harry to Hermione, muttered, "Okay," and turned on her heel to leave.  


"Sorry Ginny," Harry said, but Ginny turned around, shook her head and left.  


"Just great," Hermione moaned, "Five seconds into the end of summer holidays and I already lost a good friend."  


"She'll get over it," George said, "Don't worry, she always gets over these kind of things."  


"Where's Malfoy?" Ron inquired, and Fred shrugged.  


"I dunno, I'd rather hope he's not coming after that jumble of curses we sent at him last year."  


Harry grinned, last year Draco Malfoy, his arch-enemy, and his "friends" Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle had come into Harry, Ron, and Hermione's section of the train, and taunted them worse then usual. All three and leapt up to curse them at the same time, and the Weasley twins had come in and cursed them as well. The result had been the three Slytherins had been knocked out, and gained what looked to be painful sores and blotches in the meantime.  


"D'you really think so?" Ron asked hopefully.  


"Nah," George said, "I don't think so."  


They all sniggered a little bit and then George spoke up, "Well, I suppose we should get on the train."  
They all nodded, and carrying their trunks, they boarded.  
Sitting down in their usual compartment of the train, Harry, Ron, and Hermione begin wondering who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would be, and Harry put his arm around Hermione. At this Ron shook his head.  


"D'you think Snape will finally get the job?" Harry asked.  


"Nah," Ron said, "No way. Dumbledore's got to find somebody better then Snape, maybe Lupin will take the job back."  


Hermione shook her head, "No, Dumbledore wouldn't let him back, not after it was discovered he was a werewolf. Maybe the real Mad-Eye Moody will come."  


"Are you kidding?" Ron said laughing, "Moody's gotten worse then ever at thinking Dark wizards are after him. I would be too, mind you, if I'd been locked in my own trunk for ten months!"  


They all nodded, and suddenly Ron got up, "I've got to go to the bathroom, I think they have one on the train."  


Harry and Hermione nodded, and Ron left the compartment.  


Harry now was alone with Hermione. He had planned to kiss her if this happened, but he wasn't sure if he should do it. He was nervous, and he didn't know why, she was going to kiss him in Diagon Alley wasn't she? Harry decided it would be best to ask her first.  
"Um, Herms, do you mind, er, um, if I kiss you?"  


Hermione smiled and was about to say yes when the compartment door opened. Harry turned around, fearing it was Ron, returned already from going to the bathroom, but it was worse. Draco Malfoy was there with his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle.  


"So, going to kiss your Mudblood girlfriend, Potty?" Malfoy drawled.  
Harry suddenly had a look of instance hatred on his face. Malfoy had called Hermione, "Mudblood", the worst term possible to be given to a Muggle-born wizard or witch. He yanked out his wand but Malfoy was quicker on the draw and yelled "_Stupefy!_"   
Harry froze, and fell over, Stunned. He should have seen that coming.  


"_Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!_" Hermione bellowed and quickly took Malfoy's, Crabbe's, and Goyle's wands, and they flew backward into the wall with a loud _Crunch_! She then pointed her own at Harry and yelled "_Enervate!_" and Harry Potter woke up.  


"Excuse me, but what is all the commotion in here?" The plump witch who sold candies, cakes, and pumpkin juice to the students, asked them all.  


"Er, nothing," Draco said sweetly, "May I have my wand back please Hermione?"  


Hermione quickly tossed all of the wands back to their owners, and sat down blushing profusely.  


As soon as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle left, Harry ordered assorted cakes and candies one tray for him and Hermione to share, and another tray for Ron.  


As Harry bit into the head of a Chocolate Frog, he asked Hermione what had happened with Malfoy after he'd been Stunned.  


"Oh, nothing really. The witch just came in and that stopped everything. Gross!" Hermione quickly opened the window, and spat out a disgustingly colored Bernie Botts' Every Flavor Bean.  


"You call that nothing?" Ron Weasley exclaimed as he walked back into the compartment, "You should have seen it!" After imitating Hermione yelling the curses, he continued, "Disarmed all three of them! Then she woke you up, and the snack witch came in!"  


Harry smiled broadly and put his arm around Hermione, "Great job 'Mione! That's fantastic, now we're two up on Malfoy!"  
Hermione's cheeks had more then a little bit of pink tint in them.   
For the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, Harry couldn't find the courage to kiss Hermione, especially with Ron in the compartment. Malfoy had ruined everything. He sighed and nibbled on a Cockroach Cluster, while watching Ron eat like there was no tomorrow.  


"Didn't we feed you enough at my house?" Hermione joked after Ron had stuffed down yet another Chocolate Frog looking in vain for Agrippa, know the only card missing in his entire collection after more then eight years collecting them.  


Finally, the Hogwarts Express stopped at Hogsmeade Station, and it's magical passengers walked out as well, with Harry and Hermione holding hands. As they filed off to get into the carriages pulled by invisible horses that carried the students of second year and above to the Hogwarts castle to watch the Sorting and eat the welcoming feast.  


"FIRS' YEARS, FIRS' YEARS 'OER HERE PLEASE!" a familiar voice roared into the night air, and Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts as well as teacher of Care of Magical Creatures rounded up the first years for their annual trip across the lake over to Hogwarts castle. Spying Harry, Hermione, and Ron he beckoned them over.  


"'Ello Harry, Hermione, Ron!" he began, then noticing Harry and Hermione holding hands he smiled widely, "Well, what d'we have here? Eh?" After Harry and Hermione had both blushed a fair enough shade of red, Hagrid continued on this time softer, "I'm goon be leavin' soon, so don't worry if I'm gone fer a while."  


The trio nodded and walked off towards the carriages, Harry decided to offer Hermione his arm, but in a joking manner.  


"Shall you take my arm Lady Hermione?"  


Harry saw Hermione smile and laugh a little bit, and she linked her arm through his, "But of course, Sir Harry!"  


Had Harry bothered to take his eyes off Hermione and look at his other best friend Ron, he would have noticed Ron glowering, something that he had been doing a lot behind Harry and Hermione's backs ever since they had hugged after becoming prefects.  


Soon, they all reached the carriages and sat down on the leather seats, and of course Harry put his arm around Hermione, and they stared at each other for the entire ride up. Meanwhile, Ron stewed some more.  


When the carriages arrived at Hogwarts, the students walked through the doors of the castle, and walked in followed by the first years who were talking about Hagrid, their trip across the lake, and how they were to be Sorted, ("Hagrid was huge! Is he really one of the professors?" "I think I saw the giant squid!" "Fred Weasley, he's a Gryffindor, told me you had to wrestle a troll! D'you suppose that's true?"  


Soon, they were all seated in the Great Hall, under the enchanted ceiling that showed the cloudy darkening sky that was outside. Harry, holding hands with Hermione under table, turned to watch the Sorting. Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and placed in the center of the Hall, and took out a ragged, and patched wizard's hat that had been used for nearly a thousand years to place students into their respective Houses. This was the Sorting Hat.  


Suddenly, a mouth appeared at the brim of the hat, and it began to sing,_  
_

"_You may have thought this would be hard,   
But it 'tisn't really,  
Just put me atop of your head,   
I'll read your mind quite easily.  
Oh, you could be a Gryffindor,   
Were come the brave it's said,  
The Gryffindors are the ones   
Fearless 'til the end,  
But you could also be a Hufflepuff,   
Were roam the nice and loyal,  
Hufflepuffs, they are the ones,  
Who are friends 'til the last toil.  
Or perhaps you're even one that Rowena Ravenclaw,  
Would think quite stunning,  
Yet, if your a Ravenclaw,   
You cannot lack cunning.  
Of course you could be Slytherin,   
Were snakes are quite adored,  
The top quality of a Slytherin is,  
One rotten save the core.  
So if you want to find out,  
What House you should belong in,  
Just sit right down here on this stool,   
And put me on your noggin!" _  


As the Sorting Hat finished, it bowed to each of the four tables to tumultuous applause. Then Professor McGonagall began calling out the names of the scared looking first years. Harry noticed that one of the first-years, one whose yellow hair was spiked strangely, almost as if static electricity was holding it up seemed taller then the rest. Harry pointed this out to Hermione as "Arnold, Amwillage" became a Ravenclaw. Hermione shrugged and wondered if maybe the kid had a growth spurt.

  
Ron suggested maybe he was a transfer student, as "Nabitt, Dagwood" entered Slytherin to great cheering and swaggered over. Hermione said that this was impossible, as Hogwarts had never allowed a transfer student in it's history, at least according to _Hogwarts, A History_. (Necberger, Yortimus, "RAVENCLAW!") Ron suggested that maybe it was wrong for once, and Hermione said that was impossible too. (Frytonne, Sixton, "GRYFFINDOR!") Ron then suggested to Harry that they throw _Hogwarts, A History_ out the window. (Weezman, Tyluruis, "SLYTHERIN") Harry then decided that the time was ripe to change the subject, and mentioned that he didn't see the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher seated with the other teachers. (Zacharias, Zekestein, "GRYFFINDOR!") However the conversation ended as Professor McGonagall motioned the kid with spiked yellow hair over, she then bellowed over the post-Sorting noise for quiet, and soon got it.  


"Here today we have a first for Hogwarts, it's very first transfer student!" Ron looked triumphantly at Hermione, whose face went pink and looked as though she wanted to die. Harry squeezed her hand and smiled at her and she smiled back. _I made her smile!_ Harry thought happily as Professor McGonagall continued, "Calvin Arrow is here as a fifth-year transfer from the Salem Academy of Magic, normally we do not accept transfer students, but this is a special case as Calvin is Headmaster Dumbledore's great-grandson!"  


There was a loud gasp from the Great Hall, Dumbledore was the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and he had a great-grandson?  
Harry watched as Calvin Arrow put the Sorting Hat on his head, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. Fifteen minutes later, the Sorting Hat still hadn't made a decision and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking at each other nervously, then finally the Sorting Hat bellowed out very clearly, "GRYFFINDOR!"  


Fred and George Weasley got up on the table and started chanting, as they had for Harry when we had been Sorted into Gryffindor, "We've got Arrow! We've got Arrow!"  


"Say," Harry said suddenly realizing something and he turned to Hermione, "D'you think he's related to the Arrow who was a member of the Phoenix Underground?"  


"James Arrow?" Hermione said thoughtfully as Harry nodded, "It could be. It could be."  


As they were talking Professor Dumbledore got up and began speaking,  


"Well," he began, "I'm certainly glad to see that you have all returned for yet another year of learning, and I hope that all you learned last year has not leaked out through your ears," Harry and Hermione chuckled appreciatively at this, and so did Ron. It was well know that while great, Dumbledore was a bit mad, "As usual, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone, as is the village of Hogsmeade to anyone under third year. We will also be holding another dance around Christmas, as we did last year with the Yule Ball, this one called the Winter Ball and held before the winter holidays. This is done for us to have some fun, and let our hair down, since with the rise of Lord Voldemort," Several people, mostly first years, gasped, "that we have very black times ahead of us, I hope, however, that I am wrong. The fifth corridor on the fourth floor is off limits this year, due to the fact that some practical jokers," Everyone in the hall looked at Weasley twins who smiled innocently, "Seemed to have put several delayed practical joke items there that were clocked to go off on September the first, and it will be at least a year before we can charm the jokes away and make that corridor look normal. We also have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Hobbes Siberia, but he will not be here until tomorrow, the weather were he is to dangerous to Apparate to Hogsmeade in. Now may you _Figg, Extho, Nomaly_!"  


Suddenly, the delicious food that had been prepared by the house-elves down below appeared on the table and they all dug in, thoroughly enjoying the food, even Hermione who was against elf slavery. In fact, last year Hermione had formed S.P.E.W., the Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare, to help out with this. She so far had very few members.   


After the meal, when all of the students had at least thirds of everything, Professor McGonagall told the two Gryffindor prefects the password, "Diggory", in honor of the late Cedric Diggory who had been killed by Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament last year. Harry, Hermione, and the two sixth year prefects had a very easy time leading the sluggish and tired Gryffindors up towards their dorms. When the two sixth year prefects had left for their own dorm, Harry decided he might as well kiss Hermione now.   


"OK, 'Mione we've tried this twice. Now, D'you think that we can finally kiss?"  


Hermione smiled, and said, "Yes."  


Harry reached over and grabbed Hermione around the waist, she hugged Harry around the neck, and they leaned forward sort of awkwardly. Their lips met, and Harry felt a bolt of electricity run up his spine, and he hugged Hermione in closer. The kiss lasted for well over five minutes, Harry kissing Hermione, and Hermione kissing Harry back. We they finally pulled apart, they both said at the same time, 

"Let's do that again."  


And they did. And then they went off to their separate dorms. 


	8. Hobbes Siberia

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" belongs to JKR and Warner Bros., "Calvin and Hobbes" belong to Bill Watterson, I own their last names. In this chapter, Ron gets mad! Harry and Herm kissing! Patronuses! Neville and Calvin being clumsy!BTW read my other fic "Finding Potter", it's really good. BTW again, let's have some reviews for this fic, pleaaasse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****

Chapter Eight-Hobbes Siberia  
"How d'you do it, Harry?" Harry Potter heard his friend Ron Weasley ask in the middle of the night softly, careful not to wake anyone else up.

  
"What d'you mean how do I do it?" Harry answered back to Ron, also very quietly, "What do I do?"  


"You fight You-Know-Who all of the time and win," Ron began, but Harry cut in.  


"Yeah, right. Ron, Cedric Diggory was killed last year. Remember that?"  


"Yeah," Ron said, "I remember, but let me continue. You never get caught breaking the rules, people, like Colin, fawn all over you, and you've got Hermione!"  


Harry was confused, "So, Hermione's my girlfriend what's the matter with that? And trust me all of the fame isn't what it's cracked up to be." To Harry that was the understatement of the year.

  
"Because I've had a crush on Hermione for two years now. _Two years!_ Harry, how long have you had a crush on her?"  


Harry was taken aback, Ron liked Hermione? What? "Ron, I've liked her since I've seen her during the summer. So what?"  


"She doesn't like you back!" Ron said, more forcefully, and loudly. Seamus Finnigan moved a little bit in his sleep, and Ron calmed down.  


"Ron," Harry said, a little unsure what to say, "I'm sure she does. Why didn't we talk about this before at the Grangers' house, after all you came up with the "prefect couple" thing."  


"I know Harry, but I was just hiding my feelings I guess."  


"Ron, I'm really sorry. Why you talk to Hermione about it, if she likes you back, I'm sure she'll tell you."  


Ron nodded, "Sure, I will Harry. Thanks. Oh, by the way, why were you late coming up to the dorm?"  


Harry shifted uncomfortably, he probably shouldn't tell Ron that he'd kissed Hermione. "Er, well, nothing, just getting the people up to their dorms."  


Ron didn't seem to swallow this one bit, "Really, Harry. You were gone for fifteen minutes. It doesn't take that long for you make sure everyone's in their dorms."  


"Ron," Harry warned, "You don't want to know."  


"Why?" Ron asked excitedly, "Did you filch something?"  


"No," Harry sighed, "You really don't want to know."  


Ron looked indignantly at Harry, "Harry Potter, if you don't tell me, I, Ron Weasley, will never be your friend again!"  


"You might not be my friend anyway if I tell you," Harry said, "And be quiet, Dean and Neville almost woke up."  


"Harry, I promise, I won't get mad at you."  


"All right," Harry sighed again, this was it, crunch time, "I was kissing Hermione."

  
"Oh," Ron said, with a lump in his throat, "Well, then, good night, Harry."  


With that, Ron promptly rolled over and Harry heard him sniffle a little bit, and then he fell asleep.  


The next morning, at the Great Hall, Harry came down for breakfast a little late, owning to the fact that he wanted to give Ron some time to talk to Hermione about his feelings for her. Harry devoutly hoped that Ron hadn't chickened out. He also devoutly hoped Hermione didn't like Ron.  


Upon coming down to the Gryffindor table, Harry saw that Ron and Hermione were seated as far apart as possible, Harry sighed and supposed that Ron had, indeed, chickened out. Harry walked over to the vacant seat on Hermione's right and sat down.  


"I can't believe Ron," Hermione said as soon as they sat down.  


__

Uh oh, Harry thought, _What'd Ron do?_ "Why? What happened?"  


"He came to me and told me he loved me, which I highly doubt is true, we're fifteen for Heaven's sake! I told him I had never felt that way about him, and he then made as if to kiss me. So, I hit him so hard his face'll be red for quite some time!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly.  


"Sorry, Herms," Harry said, "He told me he had a crush on you last night, and told him to tell you about it. So, this is my fault."

  
"No it's not, Harry! You have to stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. Besides, I like you and if Ron didn't get that out for awhile, it might wreck our friendship beyond repair," Hermione sighed, "I just hope it's not ruined already."

Harry nodded.

"In any event, we got our schedules today. Double Potions with the Slytherins today," she said, sighing, as she handed Harry his schedule, "Also, no owls came for you."  


"Thanks, 'Mione," Harry said. Harry looked at his schedule, it was usual, double Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, etecerta. Harry looked over the schedule for when he'd have Defense Against the Dark Arts. Tomorrow, Harry wondered who the new teacher for the subject was. It was clearly not Snape, as he had been at the Great Hall the day before. Harry thought back to his former Defense teachers, Quirrell, who had been Lord Voldemort's supporter. Lockhart, a pompous git who ended up losing his memory when he tried to perform a Memory Charm and the wand backfired. Lupin, most certainly the best teacher ever had the small problem of being a werewolf and quit after one year. Last year Harry'd had Mad-Eye Moody, who was really Barty Crouch, Jr., a Death Eater taking Polyjuice Potion. He had been given the Dementor's Kiss which sucked his soul out of his body. Harry sincerely hoped the new teacher would last out the year.  


As Harry finished his bacon he suggested to Hermione that maybe she should make up with Ron.  


"Oh, I know I should," she muttered, "But he's always such a prat about things, your fame, us going out, us getting in the Phoenix Underground. I get sick of it after awhile. I'll just let him simmer down. I'm not looking weak here."  


Harry shook his head, "Easy for you to say, you have Ancient Runes and Arthimancy to get away from him. I have an exact duplicate of his classes."  


Hermione shrugged, "Well, I'd rather you talk to him then me, you're still his friend. For now."  


Harry sighed, "I really wish we never had these kind of fights, me and Ron against you, Ron against me, and now Ron against you, this really makes me feel uncomfortable.  


Hermione nodded, "Well, we better get to Potions. I don't want to know how many points Snape'll take off Gryffindor if we're late."  
Harry nodded, and left holding hands with Hermione.  


Actually, it wasn't Harry and Hermione who were late for Potions, but Ron, which caused Snape to take ten points from Gryffindor. Then, Neville spilled his Sleeping Potion all over the floor, but he had put in too much unicorn hair, and the dungeon floor melted away. The new kid Calvin, then accidentally turned out a diluted Love Potion instead of a Sleeping Potion by mixing up lacesods with lacewings and gillyweed with gillywater, so that when he tested it on himself and Lavander Brown, they ended up kissing for about two minutes, all while pledging eternal love to each other. 

All in all, one hundred points gone from Gryffindor, on the first day of the term.  


As the Gryffindors walked up the steps to the castle that night they had managed to lose an additional fifty points because while in Charms, Calvin had accidentally imitated wizard Baruffilo, and ended up on the ground with a water buffalo on his chest when attempting to Banish a pillow.  


"Man, how could _he_ be Dumbledore's relative?"  


"They _must_ have made a mistake, no one related to Dumbledore could make mistakes like _that_!"  


Calvin, who had always been somewhat short, seemed to shrink further down to the ground as he heard those words and Harry felt sorry for the poor kid. He remembered in his second year when most of the school had thought he was the Heir of Slytherin, and was attacking Muggle-borns. It hadn't been a good feeling.

  
Once inside the common room, most of the Gryffindors decided to let of steam by playing a game of Exploding Snap, doing their homework, or watching the twins come up with new ideas for their joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (or Triple-W as they were calling it). Harry grinned as he remembered how he had given the twins the thousand Galleons he had won at the Triwizard Tournament to get Ron some new dress robes, and finance the joke shop.  


Harry, meanwhile, was doing his homework on the common room table with Hermione, wondering if he'd ever get up the courage to kiss her again.   


"So," Hermione said, "Did you talk to Ron today?"  


Harry shook his head, "He was completely avoiding me. I really hate that. It was bad enough when he did that last year. This year, though, it seems worse," Harry's quill went off the paper a little bit.   


"It's my fault," Hermione mumbled.  


"What do you mean?" Harry inquired, "Great wizards, how could it be _your_ fault."  


Hermione heaved a deep sigh, "I sort of liked him last year, but I think that was because I thought he had a crush on me. I guess I got a little big-headed with Krum after me, and led him on a little bit. Flirted with him some when you were at Quidditch practise and all."  


"You flirted with him?" Harry asked incredulously, his voice rising  


"Nothing really, smiled at him and tried to ask like I liked him a little bit. We got in that argument after the Yule Ball because I thought he liked me. But, that only lasted a few weeks. I guess 'cuz I knew I really didn't like him in that way. I've always had a crush on you, since first year, when you were going after the Philosopher's Stone, down there when I hugged you, I remember how good that felt, or when you and Ron figured out the basilisk in our second year..."

  
Harry smiled, "I should have picked up on the signs earlier."  


Hermione smiled faintly, "I guess, but I'm glad I'm with you now. How about I talk to Ron instead?"  


Harry shook his head, "No, I'll go."  


They both looked at each other and said at the same time, "Then we'll both go." Smiling Harry and Hermione walked over to a corner of the Gryffindor common room where Ron was sitting, absent-mildly stacking Exploding Snap cards. He looked up at them.  


"I'm sorry, why am I such a git? I mean, this is twice I've gotten mad like this. Maybe I need to see a shrink."  


Harry shook his head, and so did Hermione.  


"Ron, it's all our fault," Hermione said, "I shouldn't have let you think I liked you, you shouldn't have tried to kiss me," at this Ron flushed a deep shade of red that was near purple, "and Harry, well, Harry's the innocent bystander. Add you do need to curb your jealousy," she added.  


Ron looked at Hermione and raised his eyebrows, "Well, Harry, I guess it's true, girls to mature earlier then guys, and in this case they become psychologists as well."  


Harry rolled his eyes, and Ron stood up, "Well," Ron said, "I s'pose we're friends now again."  


Harry and Hermione nodded.  


"And I won't be jealous of you two anymore. I'm really sorry for trying to kiss you Hermione."  


Hermione smiled, "Don't worry about it Ron, now c'mon and do your homework with me and Harry."  


After they did their homework, Harry and Hermione helped the sixth-year prefects herd the rest of the Gryffindors up the stairs, after a final check they went to their dormitories. Harry suddenly found himself standing in front of the _girls_ dorm, and not the boy's dorm. Oh great. Might as well make the best of it...Harry leaned in and kissed Hermione on the lips, enjoying the feeling he got as she kissed him back and hugged him 'round his neck. As they reluctantly came up for air Harry felt a sudden heat, and not from Hermione. Turning, he saw the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan sending off red sparks and reddish smoke in the shape of hearts from their wands.  


"Awwwwwwww."  


"Ohhhhhh, how sweet."  


"Sniff," Lee said pretending to dab his eyes with a handkerchief.  
Harry and Hermione both blushed a heavy shade of red, and Hermione hastily went into her dorm while Harry rushed off in the direction of the boy's dorm.  


The next morning, the day they would finally see the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, nobody had him yet, as the sixth and seventh years were to have him (her?) on Friday, so the fifth years were having the first shot at him. Harry, however, was definitely more worried about what Hermione would say about last night when he had kissed her. The stupid twins! What if Hermione didn't like him anymore, or was embarrassed to be with him? He waited nervously in the common room for Hermione. When she came down, she walked straight towards him and smiled. Harry breathed a deep sigh of relief.

  
"What?," Hermione teased, "You think I would leave the castle because of Fred and George?"  


Harry sniggered, "I would hope not. Let's go get some breakfast."  


In the Great Hall, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, sat down to get breakfast in a much better mood then they had eaten the day before. All of the fifth years were hyped about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, as nobody even knew if the teacher was male or female, and many students had bet several Galleons and Sickles on who it would be. Besides Harry, Ron, and Hermione who found this amusing, especially some of the names tossed around, only Calvin refused to bet a single Knut on who the teacher would be. When asked why he would say because he didn't want to take their money.

Not that Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't wonder who it was. Ron seemed to think maybe Fleur Delacour might get the job, as she had said she would try to get a job at Hogwarts, and Hermione told him that was because he liked her, which Ron denied while flushing a very deep shade of magenta. Harry said the real Mad-Eye Moody might be the teacher, but Hermione pointed out that because of last year, Moody had tried to put the Jelly-Legs Curse on his own shadow. Hermione was the only one who believed that it was someone that they didn't know.  


Suddenly, the Great Hall became very quiet, and Professor Dumbledore stepped up to the podium with two other people, one of them was quite easy to recognize, ("That's Percy!" shouted Ginny, Fred, George, and Ron all at once.) the other person however was hard to tell, he was very skinny as though he had been malnourished, and had red hair, so shocking, that it easily bettered the Weasley's.  


"I have an announcement," Albus Dumbledore said gravely, and if it was possible the hall got quieter, "As you all by know , the Death Eaters that arrived at Diagon Alley at the end of last summer told us that the highest-ranking officials at the Ministry were killed by Lord Voldemort," a gasp went up in the hall, "And his Death Eaters. I regret to inform you that this is true, and the remains of Minister Cornelius Fudge and the larger portion of the Ministry were found in the woods near what used to be the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, which was destroyed a while later by Lord Voldemort," yet another gasp was emitted from everyone's raspy throats, 

"And so Percy Weasley, the highest ranking official left at the Ministry has been confirmed as the Minister of Magic. I also have to give you the bad news that the Dementors have been freed from their loyalty to us, and have released every Death Eater in Azkaban, as well as destroy the entire prison. Dementors have been sent on Muggles and Muggle-borns. Meanwhile, the school of Durmstrang in Germany was destroyed yesterday, and the seven American schools of magic have been destroyed." A gasp went up from everyone, "There were no survivors."  


"_Viktor Krum_," Harry, Ron, and Hermione all said the two words like it was a holy relic.  


"Yes?" a voice said from behind them.  


"Viktor?" Hermione said, sounding both confused and irritated as they turned around.

  
The ghost of Viktor Krum nodded.  


"You're a...a...," Ron stammered.  


"A ghost," he nodded, "I died."  


Dumbledore continued as the surly ghost of Viktor Krum went off to the Ravenclaw table, "As you may have noticed Viktor Krum's ghost will be staying at Hogwarts for the remainder of the year as a Protectorate ghost, or one who watches over the castle before he will leave for Bulgaria. I would also like," Professor Dumbledore had pulled the red-haired man up forward, 

"As I have sent Hagrid off on a trip for the benefit of the school, Icarus Snuffles will teach Care of Magical Creatures for the next few months or so."   
Harry looked closer at the red-hair man, Snuffles, eh, it couldn't be...it was! As Harry stared closer he saw the familiar face of his godfather, Sirius Black! Sirius wasn't as gaunt as usual, and of course his hair color was different, but it was him, no doubt about that.   


Dumbledore smiled, looking much older then usual, "You may now continue eating."  


"That was Sirius, wasn't it Harry," Ron whispered.  


Harry nodded, "Yeah, it was."   


Harry then looked at Hermione whose face was chalky-white. "Herms?"  


Hermione didn't respond, "Herms? 'Mione? 'MIONE?"  


Hermione still didn't respond.  


Harry put his arm around her and smiled faintly at the warmth that went up his arm. "Hermione," he whispered.  


She responded some, "My...my...my...my..."  


"Hermione?" he said, "Your what?"  


"My parents."  


Harry suddenly realized what she meant, if dementors were being used on Muggles and Muggle-borns, parents of Muggle-borns at Hogwarts would be the first strike.

  
"It's OK, Herms, really, nothing will happen."  


Hermione nodded, her face still pale.  


"C'mon Hermione," Harry said, "Don't you want to see the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and all the homework he or she's going to give us?"  


Harry sniggered a little bit, and Hermione finally smiled.  


"I s'pose I do Harry," she said, "C'mon, lets go to class."  


Harry slipped his arm around Hermione's waist, and Ron got up as they walked off to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw.  


A very tall tiger was standing up straight, looking very calm in his black robes and wizarding hat. The tiger had fuzzy cheeks, black eyes, and an extremely lustrous fur-coat. He nodded at each of them as they went to their desks, Hermione naturally picked three seats in the front. Then Calvin came in, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher shook his hand warmly with his paw, and slapped him on his back friendly. Calvin smiled and high-fived the teacher muttering something about "Calvinball on the Quidditch pitch tonight."  


After Calvin sat down, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher said in a very mellow voice for a tiger,   


"I'm Hobbes Siberia," a and gasp went up in the room (A/N: I sure use 'gasp' a lot don't I?), Harry had no idea what they gasping about and Professor Siberia continued, "As you might not or you may know, some people have considered me to the greatest Auror in the world behind Mad-Eye Moody, and definitely the reason way Dark wizards in America do not flourish, until recently. I am honored that somebody would think that about me but it's really not true," Professor Siberia smiled, "I'm also a rarity in the wizarding world, they say, an animal who can become a wizard, does anyone know what that is?"  


To no one's surprise, Hermione's hand went up in the air, but to everyone's so did Calvin Arrow's.  


"Yes, Miss Granger?" Siberia said, nodding to her.  


"A Wizarimal."  


"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor. "I expect that you all have read my book, _Aurors, Unforgivables, Death Eaters, and the Dark Mark_. If you haven't, well, then, your probably a student after my own heart. After all, I did go to Hogwarts myself and graduated with a 72%, skimming by in most of my classes except Defense Against the Dark Arts. So instead of a pre-test or anything of that sort, I will go straight into my first lesson, which is the Patronus Charm. Who knows what a Patronus is?"  


Only Harry, Calvin, and Hermione's hands shot up into the air, and Professor Siberia called on Harry, "Yes, Mr. Potter?"  


"A charm to move dementors away, the magic words are _Expecto Patronum_."  


"Excellent, another ten points. Can anyone here conjure up a Partronus?"  


Harry and Calvin's hands shot into the air.  


"Mr. Potter, Mr. Arrow, please come here and demonstrate."  


Harry and Calvin walked up and Harry pointed his wand at the back of the classroom and concentrating on kissing Hermione and yelled "_Expecto Patronum_!"  


A large silver stag erupted from Harry's wand and circled the classroom several times before disappearing. Calvin's Patronus was a tiger which ran around the room and tried to pounce on a startled Neville Longbottom who fell out his chair with a shout before it disappeared.  
"Very good! Potter, Arrow, twenty-five points to Gryffindor for each of you. Those are certainly the best Patronuses I have seen in several years."  
Harry went back to his seat, smiling broadly, but his smile was nothing compared to Calvin who was enjoying the open-mouthed looks of astonishment the Gryffindors were giving him. Harry set down next to Ron and Hermione happy and satisfied, as Professor Siberia continued.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Trelawney's First Prediction

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
****Chapter Nine-Trelawney's First Prediction

Disclaimer: "Calvin & Hobbes" and all related to them belong to Bill Watterson and United Press Sydinicate. The exception is my plot of C&H being wizards. "Harry Potter" and all related belong to JKR and Warner Bros. so don't sue me! 

Author's Note: I'm sorry that this is really short, but this chapter is a turning point in HP and the KatT so read carefully. I realize that the prophecy sounds cliche, but I really don't think that it really is. BTW, I'm begging for reviews, I NEED reviews!!!!!  


"I can't believe it!" wailed Hermione, "I _still_ can't conjure up more then a bit of silver mist in front of me."  


"Hermione, that's more then anyone else in the class did," Ron pointed out.  


"No," Hermione said stubbornly, "Harry and Calvin were able to easily."  


Harry put a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulder, "C'mon 'Mione, you know I've been able to do that since third year. And Calvin's from another school. He also obviously knows Professor Siberia, did you hear him call him Hobbes? Maybe he taught it to him."  


Hermione still pouted a bit, mumbling something about how this was going to wreck her grade, and Harry and Ron sniggered.  


Suddenly, as though he had just Apparated, although this was impossible, Harry reminded himself, you can't Apparate or 

Disapparate at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore was right in front of them.  


Seeing their shocked faces, Dumbledore laughed a little bit, "I don't need an Invisibility Cloak to become invisible, you three, you should know that. In any event, Mr. Weasley, I need Mr. Potter and Miss Granger here."  


Ron nodded, and Harry and Hermione went off to Dumbledore's office.  


"Cauldron Cake!" he told the stone gargoyle in front of his office and it moved and let them in.  


"Please sit down," Dumbledore said, gesturing towards two chairs in front of his desk.  


"Harry James Potter and Hermione Elizabeth Granger, as you know, you are members of the Phoenix Underground. Along with that comes knowledge that is reserved only for members of the Underground. It is the text of Professor Sibyll Trelawney's first prediction. It details the final Battle of Dark and Light," Dumbledore handed them each a piece of parchment, "Please read."  


Harry looked at the parchment and read:  


__

"The Final Battle will be fought on the plain of Fawkes' Scar.  
On one side, the Dark, will be the Phound Lord and his followers who eat death as their food.  
On the other side, the Light, will be the Kid and the Tiger, the Lightening Who Lived, and the Stupendous Scholar. Fighting with them are the ones called Dragon, Flame, and Dogstar.  
The Werewolf will play a important role, while the Wise and Old shall sit out this match.  
Should the Scholar die, the Lighting Who Lived, will as well, ending all hope for the Light.  
The winners will rule this world, both wizard and Muggle for over a hundred years.  
But there is no hope that everyone will come out of this alive."  


Harry looked up, palely looking, "If Hermione dies, I die, and we lose. Hobbes Siberia will fight. Sirius and Remus will fight, but I can't figure anything else out."  


"I think," Hermione broke in, "That Draco Malfoy will fight for the Light. The Flame, I guess that's Ron. The Wise and Old, that must be you Dumbledore."  


Professor Dumbledore looked gravely at them, "That is mostly correct. We don't know who the "Kid" is (A/N: No, it's not Calvin, the Tiger isn't Hobbes either so there!). That could be the center of this prophecy, and I don't understand the spelling of "found" as P-H-O-U-N-D, Professor Trelawney wrote this prediction as she said it. We don't know who the Flame is, I'm not that sure it is Ron, nor am I sure if Mr. Malfoy is the Dragon. You may go now."  


Harry and Hermione walked out. Harry sighed, and looked away from Hermione.  


"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione whispered taking his hand.  


"What do you think, 'Mione?" Harry said sadly, looking as though he'd jump off a cliff if he could.  


"The prophecy?" Hermione said, and Harry nodded, "Harry, you of all people know that Professor Trelawney is an old fraud," Hermione put on a very good impression of Professor Trelawney's falsetto, 'My dear, you have the Grim!'"  


Harry sniggered and squeezed her hand, then put his arm around her waist, "It's just, if it's true, if you die then I'll die and Voldemort will win. I don't want to lose you, or Sirius, or Remus, or Ron, even Malfoy, for that matter."  


Hermione smiled, "I don't want to lose you either, but Harry, you can't waste yourself away worrying over a prophecy that may never come true. Come on, we've got to head to the common room to pick up our dragon-hide gloves for Herbology."  


Harry grinned, he was glad Hermione had been able to cheer him up so easily. Still, he hadn't completely tossed away that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

When they arrived at the common room, Harry saw an amazing sight, all of the first-year Gryffindor boys were yelling, "Huzzah! Huzzah! All hail Dictator-For-Life Calvin!", while wearing hats that had been folded from old _Daily Prophet_s. Meanwhile, Calvin and Professor Siberia, also wearing newspaper chapeaux were smiling and laughing carelessly and then Calvin motioned for silence.  


"Oyez! Oyez! It is I **Calvin the Bold**prepared to lead G.R.O.S.S. (**G**et **R**id **O**f **S**limy Girl**S**) England Branch to continue the Girl and Boy War that rages in my neighborhood in America!" Here Calvin emitted red, white, and blue sparks from his wand, "And here's..."  


"**Hobbes_, El Presidente_ and First Tiger**, feline extrodinare, Calvinball 

All-Star and great. May his words of wisdom be granted the ability to reach the minds and souls of his valiant listeners! May together with Calvin, may the war finally end!"  


The Gryffindor first years pounded on the ground and emitted clanging sounds from their wands. 

Harry stared at the group then turned to Hermione, "They're all nutters. 

Calvin's our age after all. I can understand the first-years acting like this...but Professor Siberia too? Maybe their under the Imperious Curse."  


Calvin bellowed out, "All rise for the G.R.O.S.S. Anthem, sung to the tune of the American "Star-Spangled Banner"! Hobbes, take the lead!"  
Professor Siberia nodded,   


__

"Ohhhh, G.R.O.S.S,  
Best club in the cosmos,  
For so proudly we hate, 

All things female."  


Calvin then took the falsetto, as his voice hadn't changed quite yet,  


__

"And the waterbombs splash, 

The attacks from mid-air,  
Gave proof through the day,  
That boys are superior."  


Then Calvin and Professor Siberia took the last section,  


__

"Ohhh say does the spirit 

Of G.R.O.S.S.ness remain unvanquished,  
For the club of the brave, 

And the home of great power!"  


"YEAHHHH!" yelled the first-years excitedly, and Calvin bellowed out over their screaming,  


"OK! When we go to Hogsmeade, we're going to pick up a lot more jokes for you guys so you can pull pranks on the girls. Meanwhile, President and First Tiger Hobbes will pass out assortments of Canary Creams, Dungbombs, and fake wands that Fred and George Weasley made for our cause! Enjoy! And attack!"  


After the first years had received their practical jokes, and rushed passed Harry and Hermione, the two walked in and stared at Calvin and Professor Siberia.  


"What the-" Harry started.  


Professor Siberia looked up, "Hello, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger. How are you?"  


"Just what were you doing, Professor?" Hermione wailed, stunned that a teacher could act this way.  


"I've been a member of G.R.O.S.S. for years Miss Granger," Professor Siberia said, "I created the club with Calvin when he was six. Of course I don't follow the G.R.O.S.S. Club Charter when I'm around the tigresses, and Calvin doesn't around girls anymore," at this Calvin sent Hobbes a disapproving glare.

"I might as well tell you about me, please sit down. Miss Granger, Mr. Potter," Hobbes pointed at Hermione and Harry, "Please don't fidget, I will write you two a pass for your next class. Now let's see," Hobbes began after they all had sat down, "I became an Auror in the mid '70s when Voldemort was just beginning his power, so mostly I was just giant, and vampire hunting in America. Fairly boring job really, as opposed to fighting Death Eaters.  


"When Voldemort's power began peaking in the '80s I was continually protecting the American schools of magic, and hunting down American followers of Voldemort. Eventually I even faced him myself in 1986 and managed to luckily Disapparate away in time. After that I stopped calling him, You-Know-Who, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Once I faced him, my fear was of the man, not the name. Not that Lord Voldemort is the thing I fear most. Personally a ravaging dementor would give me more creeps then anything else."  


Harry smiled, in this respect Professor Siberia and himself were quite the same.  


"Then young Harry here, better know as Lightening in Sibyll's-er-Professor Trelawney's prediction, defeated Voldemort," he paused to make sure they understood and after seeing Harry and Hermione nod he continued, "I came over here to England and helped Mad-Eye Moody on numerous occasions, and a few Aurors joked that half the cells in Azkaban were filled because of Mad-Eye, and the other half by Hobbes. By the way, please do cal me Hobbes, I hate 'Professor Siberia'. By the early '90s, we had done about as well as we could, the information old Snape, who I understand is Potions teacher here, helped in finding Death Eater hideouts.  


"Anyway, in 1991, when Calvin here was only four, I came to his house and lived there until he turned eleven. I knew for certain he would be a great wizard. Muggles see Wizarimals as a stuffed animal but Calvin could see through that. I was absolutely thrilled when I found he was a wizard related to Albus. In any event, we became best friends and I was able to publish my memoirs secretly and act like a tiger cub again. We played a lot of great games, like Calvinball, which we still enjoy. The same goes for G.R.O.S.S. Calvin also managed to put spells on himself and cardboard boxes to turn himself into a dinosaur, an astronaut named Spaceman Spiff, a superhero named Stupendous Man, an explorer named Safari Al, as well as create Duplicators, Time Machines, Cerebral-Enhace-O-Trons, all without a wand, or even knowing it."  


Harry looked at Hermione whose jaw had dropped in amazement.   


"Anyway, his parents were both Squibs so they didn't tell think he'd be magic until he was accepted to Salem Academy. I pressed him to tell his parents to transfer him here because of the dangers that were surrounding the schools and his great-grandfather would be here. So now he's a Gryffindor at Hogwarts. Here's your notes, you too need to get to Herbology, and I need to prepare for my next class." Hobbes said, smiling as he gave them their notes, and he walked out Calvin trailing after him._  
_

Harry and Hermione both smiled, "Well," Hermione said, "I guess their not nutters."  


Harry sniggered and they went to get their dragon hide gloves.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Weasley's Wizard What?

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
**Chapter Ten-Weasley's Wizard What?**  


Harry Potter went down to the Quidditch pitch extremely excited. The first Quidditch practice of the season! Harry wondered a little bit who the new Keeper would be, as their old one and former captain, Oliver Wood had graduated two years ago and was now on the reserve team for the Puddlemere United professional team.  


Harry also wondered who the new captain would be. Probably either Fred or George Weasley, although Harry hoped that there could be co-captains so they could both share the top spot. Harry was definitely itching to just play, period, as last year's Triwizard Tournament had canceled all Quidditch games for the entire year.  


When Harry arrived at the Quidditch pitch he saw the entire team in a team huddle. Vaguely, Harry wondered why, he hoped nobody had been hurt. He counted the players in the huddle, six. They must be excluding me for some reason, Harry thought.  


"Oy, Harry," Katie Bell, one of the three Chasers called out, "Over here, you need to know who the new captain is."  


Harry's hopes sank as he rushed over, holding his new Twigger 150, captain, singular. That probably meant either Fred or George. Of course either Katie, Anglina Johnson, or Alicia Spinnet, the three seventh year Chasers wouldn't be bad as captain at all, Harry figured it would probably be a Weasley. Harry was still wondering about this as George tossed some red and gold Gryffindor Quidditch robes at Harry.  


"I already have robes," Harry protested.  


"Not like these you don't," Fred said, "Go on, look at the back."  


Harry was expecting to maybe his name and a Gryffindor lion on the back of the new robes, and while both were on the back, it was what was _beneath_ his name that stunned him;  


Captain  


Harry looked up, "I-I-I'm the captain?"  


"Of course you are," Alicia Spinnet said, smiling, "Who did you think it would be?"  


The team sniggered.  


"So, there Cap'," George said in a pirate voice, "When are tryouts fer Keeper?"  


"Er," Harry stuttered, "Er, in five days time?"  


"What's good fer you Cap' is good fer me, arrr," Fred Weasley growled.  


Harry was still laughing as they took to the air to began practice.  
After a late practice, Harry walked into an almost empty common room as everyone had gone to bed, including the Quidditch team, as Harry had to stay after to make sure that the Bludgers didn't escape their container.  


"Hey 'Mione," Harry said looking at Hermione who was sitting on the couch reading a book by the common room fire," D'you mind if I sit down?"  


"Of course not, you prat. I stayed down here to wait for you. How was practice?"  


"Great," Harry said, "I'm captain."  


"That's cool, Harry," Hermione said sincerely, "What about tryouts? I really want to show people I can be more then a bookworm."  


"In five days Herm," Harry said suddenly realizing how close he was to her face, and he leaned to kiss her. As they kissed are Harry was completely in another world, and he didn't even notice anything but Hermione. A camera flash went off and it took Harry a while to notice it, but then it went off again, and again. They broke apart, reluctantly, but as a necessity.  


Harry got up and ran after where the camera flash had been, Hermione close behind him. At the top of the stairs he saw the perpetrator rush into the dormitory labeled FOURTH YEARS.  
_Colin_, Harry thought. Colin Creevey had taken pictures of Harry in embarrassing situations all second year, including when Harry had his arm broken from a fall of his broomstick, and when Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, seconds later, removed the bones from his right arm instead of healing them. Harry had reckoned that Colin had gotten over his hero worshipping, but apparently he hadn't.  


Sprinting into the dormitory he suddenly heard five voices yell, "_Lumos._"   


This was followed by shrieks of, "Boy in the girls' dorm! Boy in the girls' dorm!'  


Harry looked around and saw the Gryffindor fourth year _girls_ as opposed to what he had expected to fin, the fourth year _boys_.  


"OK," Harry said, "Calm down."   


Unfortunately for Harry, this did everything but calm them down, as Harry felt ten eyes patrol up his body and stop at his forehead, gazing at his scar. The were soon shrieking "Harry! Harry! Potter! Harry Po-"

  
"Would you all shut up and stop acting like a bunch of first years?" Hermione Granger said, walking up in front of Harry, "One of you just took a picture of Harry and me downstairs, so please, if you could hand it over?"  


The five girls all looked at each other and then gazed back at Hermione, who was getting a little impatient. Suddenly, Harry saw a reflection of the flash part of a camera by Ginny Weasley's bed. Taking no second thoughts, Harry ran and dove onto Ginny's bed, and snagged the camera as he rolled off the four-poster. He got up and brandished the camera victoriously in air then he magically opened up the back of the camera and exposed the film. After performing his duties, Harry tossed the camera back to Ginny.  


As he walked back over to Hermione, he noticed she was wearing an extra-large smile.   


"C'mon," she said, "We've got to go. S'pose McGonagall heard them screaming their bloody heads off."  


Nodding, Harry walked out of the fourth year dorms, and walked Hermione up to the fifth year girls' dormitories. There he kissed her goodnight, and was about to go off to his dormitory when he heard a rather large explosion coming from the direction of the seventh-year boys dormitories. Fulfilling his prefectial duties, he motioned to Herm that thy should check out the problem and they hurried across the hall and up the stairs to the dormitory marked SEVENTH YEARS.  


Harry never thought that he would ever in his life act like Percy Weasley, but he grabbed Hermione's hand and parted the crowd with his and Hermione's orders  


"Please, let us see what's going on, prefects here! Prefects here!" Harry yelled  


Hermione followed bellowing similar orders, "Part the crowd, here, prefects coming through."  


They were shortly followed by the sixth and seventh year prefects and as they walked in, they stared at the sight of Fred and George's mangled bodies, lying at odd angles with some potions and blood around them. Ignoring the broken cauldrons, broken test tubes, and Lee Jordan who was standing there completely mute, both Hermione and Harry stubbed their toe and few times and swore, but soon they were the first at the twins' bodies.

  
Hermione quickly knelt down to George to take his pulse to see if her was still among the living, and Harry did the same for Fred. Harry was extremely gratified that there was still a pulse one Fred's wrist, and intensely shocked at how weak it was. Hermione quickly declared George alive, and Harry did the same for Fred. The duo then conjured up two stretchers, and levitated Fred and George onto them. As they silently took them down to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey, they wondered what had happened to Fred and George.  


"Probably were making something new for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Hermione surmised.  


Harry nodded agreeing, "It must be, all of those broken caldrons and broken test tubes. I wonder what exploded."  


Hermione pursed her lip, worrying, "I really don't know, Heaven knows what could have caused an explosion like that."  


Soon, the duo and their two patients were at the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey was completely shocked to have such extreme cases so soon.

  
"Broken bones, fractured skulls, weak pulses, this is just too much work!" she fretted as she performed Healing Charms on the twins. Harry and Hermione were completely astonished that she was able to work so fast. Soon she had revived the twins and they awoke.  


Madam Pomfrey began with a simple question to the twins, "Do you know who you are?"  


The twins shook their heads at the same time. Thinking this was a joke, which was really a good guess considering the twins' reputations, she asked another, fairly easy question.  


"Did this have anything to do with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"  


The twins looked stumped.  


"Weasley's Wizard What?" Fred said, completely confused.  


Madam Pomfrey looked ready to kill, "If you don't stop this I'll take one hundred points off of Gryffindor!"  


"Gryffinpore? What the heck is Gryffinpore, and why do I care if you take one hundred dots from it? Come to think of it, what the heck is a dot?" George asked, plainly confused.  


Madam Pomfrey looked as though someone had Stunned her, and she then turned to Harry and Hermione.  


"They must have been hit with a powerful Memory Charm, it may have to be until the rest of the year before I can get their memories back. You two go back to the common room and furfill the role of town crier. I'm going to have to go get Dumbledore."  


Harry and Hermione walked out, now looking like the Stunned ones, "I can't believe it," Harry said, "Fred and George, things will be too quiet around here from now on. Not to mention that this will cripple the Qudditch team, we don't have any Beaters left."  


Hermione sighed, "Harry, would you please not think of Quidditch at a time like this? What about their studies, they'll be so far behind everyone else! Even though they did bring this on themselves breaking the rules like that. But as for Quiddtich, I'll try out for Beater."  


Harry stammered, "But, you're a girl..."  


Hermione glared at Harry, "You of all people should know, girls can play Quidditch!"

  
Harry stuttered, "But-but-but-in _Quidditch Through the Ages_ it says that girls really can't-er-don't play Beater. I mean, Keeper's open, why not.."  


Hermione cut Harry off, "The Holyhead Harpies only sign women, so girls _can_ play Beater."  


"OK, _touche_," Harry said sighing, "You can try out, and I hope you make it."

  
Hermione smiled, "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, I will." 


	11. Padfoot's Warning

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
**Chapter Eleven-Padfoot's Warning**  


****

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter & Co. they belong to the talented J.K.. Rowling. Calvin and Hobbes don't belong to me either, they belong to the talented Bill Watterson. I'd also like some reviews plz! I only need 1 (one) review to continue the story so please R/R & E!

Harry Potter stared out at the Quidditch pitch. It was perfect conditions for Quidditch try-outs. Unfortunately, despite the fact that nine people had signed up for the Keeper position, only two, Hermione and Calvin, had signed up to replace Fred and George as Beaters, so Harry decided not to bother with Beater try-outs, and congratulated Hermione and Calvin on making the team.  


Harry looked at the list in his right hand that had the names of all of the Gryffindors trying out for Keeper, Colin Creevey, Dennis Creevey, Ginny Weasley , (that had surprised Harry), Ron, (no surprise there), Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, a few second years no one had heard of, and Lee Jordan.  


The twelve try-outees, soon had gathered out of the Quidditch pitch, and Harry began his first official speech as Quidditch captain.  
"OK. You're all trying out for Keeper, correct? What you do is take fifteen throws of a Quaffle from Alica, and Angelina, who will try to confuse you," Harry gestured at Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson who were grinning widely in an attempt to psyche out the new participants. "Let's fly!"  


The fourteen players took up to the air. Dennis Creevey was first and he turned out to be pretty good. He stopped the first five no sweat, then performed a pretty complicated Starfish-with-Stick Keeper move to stop the sixth, a tricky underhanded toss from Alica.

  
After that, however, Alica and Angelina stepped up their play, and Angelina snuck a Quaffle behind him, off of a pass from Alicia. Angelina then got another one passed him. Rattled, Dennis only managed to catch two more for an eight out of fifteen mark.  


Colin, the next player wasn't too hopeless. He only managed to catch four out of fifteen Quaffles, and nearly fell off his broom three times.

  
Ginny was next. She _did_ fall off her broom while staring at Harry and landed with such a crash everyone thought that she had died. Fortunately, she had only broken several bones and Colin and Dennis Creevey carried her off to the hospital wing.  


Ron came up next, and performed the best out of all of the previous players, but would have been no match for the old Keeper and captain, Oliver Wood. He was clumsy but still garnered ten of fifteen Quaffles.  


Following Ron was Parvati, who needed a little bit of help learning how to hold on to the broom. Once she was in the air she was easily the worst player, snagging no Quaffles.  


Lavender didn't far much better, despite the fact that she said that as a Seer, she had tried-out so she could prove her continuous predictions that she would be a professional Quidditch player. She caught a single Quaffle.  


The second years were actually very good, one of them catching fourteen Quaffles, and Harry figured that they had finally found their new Keeper in the young second year.   


Last up to bat was Lee Jordan, who from the moment he reached the air, you could tell had the job in the bag. He flew smoothly, almost as good as Harry flew, and made even the hardest saves look easy. He was Oliver Wood to the tenth power. He managed to snag one hundred percent of the Quaffles, fifteen out of fifteen.

  
As the players all hit the ground, Harry welcomed Lee onto the team and announced that the second year, James Hays, would be the reserve.

  
After changing into his regular school robes, Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Calvin, who they had befriended following Harry and Hermione walking in on the G.R.O.S.S. meetings.  


"Wow," was all Ron could say, "I can't believe that. Fifteen out of fifteen, has that ever happened?"  


Harry shrugged, "Oliver Wood might've. I don't know."  


Hermione smiled, "Lee was great."  


Calvin agreed vigorously, "At Salem, we never had a good Keeper. Gryffindor should easily win the Quidditch Cup this year. Most people played Quodpot back in America."  


"Don't get to cocky," Hermione said, "You haven't seen the Slytherin team yet. Or for that matter, the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs."  


Back at the common room, Harry and Hermione crouched over a piece of paper trying to come up with the perfect Quidditch plan, with a bit of help from both Calvin and Ron. Soon, however, Hermione reminded them about the essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts on Patronuses, and Harry, Ron, and Calvin scurried about for quills and parchment and managed to finish the essay before it was midnight. Hermione meanwhile, just read four books while they were doing this. She had finished the report the day before.  


Therefore, it was no wonder that they were a little tired going to classes the next day. Calvin who had Divination and Care of Magical Creatures as well, feel asleep during Transfiguration resulting in twenty points gone from Gryffindor. In Divination, Harry, Ron, and Calvin fell asleep while making jokes about Professor Trelawney's continual predictions of death for Harry. Eventually however, Divination ended and they made their way down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures with Sirius, AKA Professor Icarus Snuffles.   


One they way there they met up with Hermione who immediately went to Harry's side, and they held hands. Suddenly, however, Harry started to feel very faint, and began swaying as though drunk. The last thing he remembered before passing out was Calvin yelling out, 

"Harry! You're scar's gone!"  


__

"Hello Harry." a black-haired man with glasses who looked remarkably like Harry, except for his blue eyes, was standing next to a women. A women with red hair and green eyes. They were Harry's parents.   


"Mum, Dad?" Harry asked, almost choking. "Where am I?"  


"Just here, watching over you." Lily Potter said. "Look down."  


Harry turned around and saw himself lying at a strange angle where Hermione was doing CPR on him, and Ron was looking very worried. Harry could make out Calvin heading in the direction of the hospital wing.  


"Am I dead?" Harry inquired of his parents.  


"No, don't worry about that son," James Potter said. "Your not dead, what you are I can't tell you."  


"Oh," was all Harry could say.  


Suddenly, Harry felt like he was being sucked down back into his body.  


"Goodbye son," James said.  


"Be careful, Harry, we love you," said Lily, waving goodbye.  


Harry felt himself go back into his body.  


Harry's body jumped, giving a lurch.  


"He's alive," Hermione sighed with relief, pulling herself away from Harry. She pointed to his forehead, "His scar's back as well, that's good. I wonder what happened."  


Ron shrugged his shoulders, "Well. How d'you feel Harry?"  


"Pretty good, thank you. Hermione, thanks for reviving me."

  
"How did you now that I did that?" Hermione inquired.  


Harry told them how he had seen his body lying there, Calvin running off to the hospital wing, Ron standing worried, and Hermione doing CPR on him. He also told them about seeing his parents.  


"It must have been a hallucination, Harry," Hermione said, as she helped Harry to his feet.  


"No," Harry said, "It wasn't, hallucinations aren't that real. It was like I was really there."  


"Hallucinations can be that real, Harry," Hermione said quietly.  


Harry shrugged his shoulders as Ron had done just a few minutes before him. As soon as he did this, Calvin came running back with Madam Pomfrey.  


"H-H-H-Harry, you're standing up," Calvin stammered.  


Harry nodded, "Yes, I am."  


"But just a minute ago, you were dead."  


Harry smiled, "No, I wasn't dead. Don't worry. I just, er, fainted. That's all. Hot day out."  


Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow, and did a few fairly complicated testing charms on him to see if he was sick.  


"He's perfectly well, curious, and curiouser." she mumbled.  


"What?" Harry said nervously.  


"You're absolutely fine. I'd rather if you stayed at the hospital wing...but..."  


"No!" Harry said vehemently, "I've, er, got to get to class."  


"To see your godfather, I'd expect," Madam Pomfrey said with a wink, "Don't worry, I know he's innocent. Dumbledore told the entire staff. Severus still hasn't gotten over it."

  
Harry nodded and they continued off in the direction of Hagrid's hut.  


"Please," Hermione whispered to Harry as she grabbed his arm tightly, "Please don't do that again, Harry. That was very scary and I don't want to lose you. Please, never do that again."  


Harry slipped his arm around Hermione's waist, "Trust me, Herms, I don't want that to happen to me either. I really want to thank you for saving my life."  


Hermione looked up at him, "But, you said you weren't dead."  


"I wasn't dead," Harry agreed, "But, if you hadn't tried to revive me, I might never have come back."  


Hermione smiled, and Harry melted.  


"Hey, Harry and Hermione," Ron called out, "We've got to get to Care of Magical Creatures quickly or we'll be late."  


Harry and Hermione sighed, they hadn't wanted that moment to end. As they reached the Care of Magical Creatures class, Sirius called them over.  


"Hey Harry, hey Hermione, hey Ron," Then Sirius noticed Harry's arm around Hermione's waist.  


"Awwww, it looks like my godson has a girlfriend," Sirius said in a falsetto, whilst putting his hands together under his chin and tilting his head.  


Harry and Hermione blushed a deep shade of magenta, but Harry kept his arm around Hermione's waist. _I will _not_ let him see embarrassed. I will not. I will not. I will not._

  
"So," Sirius said, "In any event Harry, I really need to warn you. This is something I'll have to tell you now. Let's go to Hagrid's hut, and let class start late, OK?"  


Harry nodded, "OK."  


"Hermione, and Ron, you should come too," Sirius said.  


After Sirius told the class that he needed Potter, Granger, and Weasley for a few minutes inside, they walked over to the hut.  


As they sat down Sirius looked at them seriously (A/N: Forgive me, I had to do that), "I've heard a lot of things while spying for Dumbledore, and I can tell you, things aren't looking good. We've sent Snape back to spying, and let me tell you, You-Know-Who is very suspicious of him. Personally, I don't blame him, he's as tricky as he was at school. Still, Snape is our best source of information, maybe aside from you. Telling us about the attack on Beauxbatons was a godsend, but somehow they must have found out. Dumbledore was even there himself, and they managed to get around him, it didn't make any sense, especially since You-Know-Who wasn't even there, he killed Ludo Bagman," 

Sirius took a deep breath before continuing, "The dementors are even worse, they have give You-Know-Who a lot more power and he's killed a lot of Muggles and Muggle-borns. Things aren't looking good, especially with most of the other schools gone. There were more attacks on the Japanese and Chinese schools. Easy victories for You-Know-Who. The Czar Academy in Russia is still holding out, though. Hagrid and Madame Maxime are also having trouble bringing the giants to are side. That's why Hagrid's gone, he's trying to pull them over to Dumbledore's side. We're real lucky that Madame Maxime was with Hagrid when Beauxbatons was wiped out. Not only that, but Ron, your mum and dad have been through some tough scrapes. Then there's the new Minister, Percy Weasley, your brother Ron, am I correct?"

  
Ron nodded.  


"He's cut off of the same block as Cornelius Fudge was. Refuses to believe You-Know-Who is behind all of this. Says it's Death Eaters trying to regain power. He also is covering up the destruction of the two other schools. Ron your family might very be torn apart by this. It'll be a great war, brother against brother, just like the Muggle American Civil War."  


"Are you saying Percy is on You-Know-Who's side?" Ron yelled out incredulously. Harry really couldn't blame him.  


"No," Sirius said, sighing, "But he's not our side either, and makes him an enemy. This is a hard game Harry. A very hard game, with way too much at stake."  


Harry looked blankly at Sirius. _How could Percy not believe _Dumbledore_?_

  
Sirius stared at Harry, "Harry, I'm going to tell you something that's very shocking. Your parents, well, let me start from the beginning. Lily was a beautiful girl at Hogwarts, and she was Sorted into Gryffindor, but, like Harry, wondered if the Sorting Hat had made a mistake. She fell in love with James in her third year, after being friends like you and Hermione were and are,"

  
Harry felt his face go red. He turned to Hermione, and saw that her face was flushed too.  


"James was a practical joker. Always setting of Dungbombs and that sort of thing. He loved Lily more then life itself. At the time they were the powerful witch and wizard at Hogwarts. By the way, Harry Lily's last name was Mantle. Lily Mantle. Again, like you and Hermione."

  
Harry blushed, and saw Hermione flushing with a deep pleasure.  
Sirius smiled, "Anyway, they were prefects, and then Head Boy and Head Girl. James went on to become an Auror, and made a lot of money of bounties, which attributed to a good amount of your Gringotts gold Harry. But James was from a rather rich family and inherited a lot. Lily still made most of it though, she worked in the Department of Mysteries, as an Unspeakable. Unspeakables get paid a lot of money Harry, and she was a good one. Within two years after they got married, which was when they were twenty-one, she was the youngest Head of Department. Then she got pregnant with you, Harry, and quit her job. She already had a lot of money, more then a million Galleons and wanted to raise you. But there was another reason.  


"They knew You-Know-Who was after them. Why? Because she was pregnant. They were the most powerful witch and wizard in the world, and their baby, you Harry, would be the most powerful witch or wizard in the world. That's right Harry, you're more powerful then Dumbledore."  


Harry's head was spinning, this was _way_ too much to take in at once.  


Sirius continued, "You-Know-Who must have went into a frenzy! He could be defeated! Especially if Dumbledore and the Potter child teamed up. To him there was only one conclusion. Kill the Potter child and James or Lily Potter so that they couldn't create another child who would defeat him. So James and Peter performed the Fidelus Charm, and the Potters seemed safe, until Pettigrew betrayed them.  


"So, Harry, while there's some things that I left out, that's basically what Dumbledore wants you to know right now. But before we get back to class, I need to give you a warning.  


"Harry, you need to be careful. If you see anything that's out of the ordinary, anything, no matter how stupid it looks, go _directly_ to Dumbledore. Now, let's get back to class, shall we?"  


Harry looked up at Sirius, "One last thing Sirius, why did my mum thing she was Sorted into the wrong house."  


Sirius stopped, as though he didn't know what to say.  


"Well, Harry, your mother wasn't exactly a Muggle-born. Salazar Slytherin had a disowned cousin. No one knows his first name."  


Harry wondered why Sirius was telling him this.

  
"Harry, Dumbledore will have my head for this but I might as well tell you. In our seventh year, your mother, your dad, and me, learned Lily Mantle was related to that cousin, meaning that she was vaguely related to Salazar Slytherin." (A/N: But _not_ the Heir of Slytherin, Riddle was the last direct relative, cousins aren't.)  


"Oh," Harry said. "We'll be out in a minute, Sirius. This is a shock, and I need to talk to Ron and Hermione about this."  


Sirius nodded sympathetically, "Go right ahead, stay in here for the entire period. You have my permission as Professor Icarus Snuffles."  
Sirius smiled and walked out the door.  


Harry began crying, putting his head on Hermione's shoulder for  
support.


	12. Calvinball on the Quidditch Pitch

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twelve-Calvinball on the Quidditch Pitch  


****

Disclaimer: Wow! I got more then one review for a chapter! ::cheers:: This chapter right here was a lot of fun to write, while it does advance the plot a little (we find out who Ron has a crush on...and it's not Hermione, Lavander, Padma, or Parvati). BTW, on the Web last nite I came across a fansite that said JKR said H/H would NEVER date! Is this true, 'cuz I never heard of it be4...especially on the bigger more updated sites. If she did, maybe J.K. will change her mind, I mean remember HP and the Doomspell Tourny, and the June 2001 release date for Book 5? In any event, H/H forever! And as always 1 review for the next chapter.__

My mum was related to Salazar Slytherin. That means I'm related to Salazar Slytherin. But Dumbledore told me in my second year that Voldemort was the last living descendant of Salazar Slytherin. So he wasn't the Heir, obviously. But even relation to that slime was...horrible. Maybe Sirius had the facts wrong. In his heart however, Harry knew that wasn't true. The only good thing that Harry was getting out of this was his head being on Hermione's shoulder, and her stroking his hair telling him that he'll be okay, but Harry really wasn't thinking about that. He hadn't cried in years. But now the tears were really spilling. He was thinking not only of the fact of his mum being related to Slytherin, but his parents being killed because they had him.  
His mum had be a successful Unspeakable, and his dad had been a great Auror. He had really screwed things up. They had been killed because of him.

  
"C'mon Harry," Ron's voice broke through Harry's troubled thoughts, "It's not that bad. Your parents were successful, weren't they? Who cares about relations that were over a thousand years ago, what do they matter? Really, Harry?"  


"They matter a lot," Harry mumbled through his tears.  


"Yeah right," Hermione said, "No it's not Harry. C'mon, evil people have had good children and vice versa. Do you really think your dad would have married your mum if she was that bad, like Salazar Slytherin?"  


"I screwed things up," Harry muttered, defeated on one topic.   


"How so, Harry?" Harry heard Ron's voice.  


"I was born," Harry answered.  


"Oh, Harry," Hermione sighed, "Why do you always beat yourself up? Your parents really wanted you Harry. Why else would James duel with Volde-er-You-Know-Who," Harry heard Ron gasp, "So you and Lily could get away? And your mum gave her life for you Harry. The ultimate sacrifice," she continued, stroking his hair with her fingers, "You didn't ruin their lives. You furfilled them. I'm sure they were happy to go into hiding to protect you. They loved you Harry, don't blame yourself for being born."  


Harry nodded.  


"Thank you Hermione," he said, "I _really_ needed that. I'm glad that Ron and you are here for me."  


Harry lifted his tear-streaked face from Hermione's shoulder.  


"Well," Ron said, "Now that's over with, we might as well go to class, right Hermione?"  


"I don't think so," Hermione said.  


"Why not?" Ron asked indignantly.  


"Because, Harry nearly died on the way over here and we haven't mentioned a thing to Dumbledore about it. Plus, his scar disappeared when he was out, and it did that at my house as well. Obviously, we need to tell Dumbledore about this. After all, Sirius just told us to go to Dumbledore if anything weird happened. You remember the password, right Harry?"  


"No," Harry said, "I mean, yes I remember the password, but really Hermione, I just hallucinated."  


"No, you didn't Harry," Ron said firmly, "I agree with Hermione on this. We need to see Dumbledore about this."  


"No," Harry answered flatly, "I just-dreamed it-that's all. I didn't see Voldemor-You-Know-Who did I?"  


"But Harry," Hermione pleaded, "Sirius just told us to go to Dumbledore if anything strange happened."  


"Hermione, please, no, if it happens again, yes. Maybe we'll go, but not right now."  


Both protested a little, but eventually gave in. Harry was thankful for this, it wasn't sure what was wrong with his scar, but for some reason he didn't want to go to Dumbledore's. He wondered what it was, fear, pride? He didn't know, but he had a premonition that he shouldn't tell Dumbledore, idly he wondered why. Then a piercing pain ripped through Harry's forehead and he fell to the ground.  


__

It was pitch dark.  


"_Are you sure you can keep him under the curse my Lord?" A voice rippled out of the shadows.  
_

An oily voice replied, "Naturally, the boy will never be able to...  


"Harry! Are you all right?"  


Harry looked up at the pained faces of Ron and Hermione.  


"Yes, quite," Harry grunted getting off the floor attempting to get up, "I just, er, well fainted again. That's all. I'm really well, you know-"  


"A bad liar," Hermione finished for him.  


Harry smiled weakly, "Yeah, that too."  


"What happened?" pushed Ron.  


"I dunno. Voldemo-er-You-Know-Who, had a curse on someone, but I don't know who. Then he said they'd never be able to....something, that must've been when you guys woke me up."  


"Hmmm," Hermione said, "There's only two curses where the person wouldn't know or act like they were under them, on is the Imperious Curse, obviously, and the other is one of the In-"  


"Hermi, you know too much much," Ron said clearly aggravated.  


Hermione glared at him, but shut up.  


"Well," Harry said nervously, "Shall we go back?"  


They nodded.  
  
Soon, however, everything became routine. They naturally were getting a load of work, at least twice as much as they had the year before and they had though _that_ had been a lot. Hermione took it easily, scoring a low of a 101%, which as she put it "was going to completely obliterate my grade", while everyone else showed signs of immense stress. The only fun class was Hobbes' Defense Against the Dark Arts class where homework was sparse and people began getting some slivery mist for their Patronuses, of course Hermione was the first one to conjure up a Patrous and it came around in a rather humourous matter...  


"Hermione," Hobbes called, he had taken to calling them by their first names since the students were calling him by theirs, 

"Let's see how far you are on your Patrous."  


Harry watched as Hermione smiled waved her wand and bellowed out "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!"  
_

The entire class was stunned when none other then a silvery-colored _Harry Potter_ came out of Hermione's wand! Being that Defense Against the Dark Arts was with the Slytherins several of them laughed. The Patronus-Harry pulled his wand out of his robe and began running around the room like Harry's and Calvin's had done. Unfortunately, Hermione's Patronus was headed straight for Malfoy, who panicked and yelled out a spell. Naturally, it went right through the Patronus version of Harry Potter, and hit Malfoy's girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, who immediately attempted to cover her mouth. Malfoy had hit her with a Growth Charm, and like it had for Hermione it hit her right in the teeth.  


The entire section of Gryffindors laughed, and Hobbes was barely concealing his sniggering as he said, "Ten points from Slytherin Draco, Pansy, I suggest you head over to the hospital wing so that Poppy can fix you up."  


In tears, Pansy left.  
  
Shortly after that incident it was Halloween, which meant the traditional Halloween Feast which Harry had only missed once in his entire schooling at Hogwarts, which had been when he had gone to Nearly Headless Nick's, the Gryffindor ghost, five hundredth deathday party. Harry hadn't enjoyed that much and would have rather gone to the normal feast as it ended up making him look as though he had opened the Chamber of Secrets. Rumors were that Dumbledore was even going to allow some dancing, and Harry hoped so. He'd really like to dance with Hermione. He looked over at her when they were in Transfiguration and they smiled at each other. Professor McGonagall noticed and smiled herself a little.

  
After class Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Calvin were headed towards their next class when Calvin spoke up,  


"Hey, you guys want to play some Calvinball on the Quidditch pitch tonight?"  


"Calvinball?" Harry frowned, "What's that?"  


"It's a game," Calvin answered, "Hobbes and I play it all the times. It can get really cool if there's more then two players."  


Ron shrugged, "I dunno, there's the feast and all tonight."  


"No, that's not what I meant, I meant _after_ the feast."  


"But we're prefects!," Hermione exclaimed, "What will the rest of the Gryffindors think?"  


Ron rolled his eyes, "Probably not worse of you when Ginny took that picture of you guys kissing."  


Harry's head whipped around, "How did you know about that?"  


Ron's ears went red, "Er, well, I told her to take a picture."  


"_Ron!_" Hermione was shocked.  


Ron looked down at his feet, "Um, yeah, I'm sorry."  


"_Anyway_," Calvin said, a little irritated, "C'mon Hermione, you've got to let your hair down a little bit. If you get a detention, which you won't, so what? Your _low_ is a one hundred and one, give me a break!"  


Hermione blushed a light scarlet shade, "Yeah, but we're the prefects."  


"Did the password change," Ron said exasperated.  


"No," Harry and Hermione answered at once.  


"Then no need for you two to be in the common room. I want to play Calvinball, whatever that is."

  
Calvin smiled wickedly, "Trust me you'll enjoy it. Oh, and bring your wands."  


The Halloween Feast was fantastic, although Dumbledore didn't allow any dancing, there was some live music played by "Dobby and the House-Elves", a _band_ that Dobby had somehow managed to put together. Not only that, the food was terrific! Harry couldn't ever remembering so full following the Halloween Feast in all his years at Hogwarts.  


Harry then noticed Ron wasn't sitting next to him anymore. He leaned over to Hermione and whispered in her ear, "Where's Ron?"  


Hermione looked around, then she pointed at the band. "Up there talking to Dobby."  


Harry nodded, and gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek and she blushed and a few of the Gryffindors laughed a little and muttered, "Prefect couple."  


Ron came back red-faced.  


"What's wrong Ron?" Harry inquired as he bit into a chicken leg, and ate some of a baked potato.  


Ron just moaned in anguish as a reply.  


"Ron, what's wr-" Harry began again but was interrupted by Dobby's magically magnified voice.

  
"Excuse me, sirs, I have just gotten a song request, sirs, from Mr. Ronald Weasley, sir, here's a song for Miss Cho Chang, sirs, "I'm In Love With You!"  


The Great Hall rippled with laughter, and if possible, Ron's face got even redder. Harry was a little bemused, it was a pretty well known fact that Harry had like Cho for some of his third year and most of his fourth year. Meanwhile, Ron had liked Hermione in fourth year. They had switched crushes! Meanwhile, "Dobby and the House-Elves" went into a wild song that had most of the Great Hall moving to the beat as they ate.  


Hermione smiled at Ron, "Way to go Ron! I never would have thought you'd get the nerve!"  


Harry looked at Ron, who was absolutely mortified, "Hey, Ron, that took guts."

  
Ron muttered something about, "Imperious or something in my pumpkin juice."  


Harry sniggered and took a sip of his own juice, "Don't worry Ron, they'll get over it soon."  


Ron didn't really eat much after that, and people were looking at him and sniggering.  


Harry leaned over to Hermione, "How the heck did Dobby form that band?"  


Hermione sighed, "I'd like to think that was the work of S.P.E.W," Harry smiled and chuckled, "But Dumbledore convinced them that it was hard and important work to be in the band."  


Harry nodded, "Dobby's a good little guitarist and singer though," The band had finished "I'm In Love With You," and had jumped into "Wicked Love Potion".  


Hermione nodded and then whispered into Harry's ear, "We should get out of here soon, Ron looks sick."  


Harry nodded and he saw Hermione hesitate, as though she wanted to do something and decided not to, then she leaned in to kiss Harry on the cheek. Unfortunately, Harry turned his head a little bit because he heard someone coming behind them, and Hermione's kiss got him full on the lips. Harry might have enjoyed this more then he did if the entire Gryffindor table hadn't laughed, and then as one gasped.  


"So, Potter and Granger, how sweet," Snape's voice came from behind them and Harry and Hermione quickly separated.  


"Er, sir," Hermione tried to explain, "It wasn't what you think."  


"Silence!" Snape bellowed, "Fifty points from Gryffindor for conduct unbecoming of Hogwarts students." With that, Professor Snape walked off slowly.  


Harry and Hermione turned back to the table which was now into in hysterics, especially Calvin and Ron.  


Harry leaned over to Hermione, and whispered, "Let's go play some Calvinball."  


She nodded, and Harry turned to Calvin and Ron, "C'mon you two gits, let's get the bloody heck out of here and on the pitch."  


Calvin and Ron got up still sniggering and they walked out of the Great Hall.  


After they closed the doors and walked out Calvin pulled out his and yelled, "_Accio Calvinball!_"  


A half a minute later a volleyball came zooming around the corridor, and landed right into Calvin's hands. Then he yelled,  


"_Accio masks!_", and "_Accio time-fracture wickets!_"  


The masks, which actually were just black blindfolds with eye-holes cut into them, weren't that bad when they came through the hallway, but the time-fracture wickets, which were croquet wickets, came through the hall jingling and came pointy-ends first. They all dove out of the way, but Calvin just broke off his Summoning Charm, and they landed in a heap at his feat. Following this, Calvin Summoned four croquet mallets. He handed the "Calvinball equipment" out to each of the other three and held the time-fracture wickets and his mallet as they walked out.  


"Why the masks?" Ron inquired.  


"No one's allowed to question the masks," Calvin replied.  


"Sounds like a great game," Harry said while rolling his eyes.  


Calvin nodded, "It is a great game. Hobbes'll meet us on the pitch in a few. Had to grade his tests first, he told me is _favorite_ student, Hermione Granger got a 138%."

  
Hermione blushed, "I missed two extra-credit problems?"  
Ron started sniggering and Hermione sent him a death glare. Calvin noticed and smiled, muttering something about, "Just like Susie..."  


"Susie?" Harry inquired.  


Calvin nodded sadly, "My girlfriend, she's a Muggle. Susie Derkins. Or she _was_ my girlfriend."  


"What do you mean?" asked Hermione cautiously.  


"She broke up with me in my fourth year, said she didn't like me not being there, and since we are only fourteen we can't handle a long-distance relationship."  


"What about being Dictator-For-Life of G.R.O.S.S.?" Harry teased, smiling.  


Calvin chuckled, "Well, let's say I'm glad the position is for life, 'cuz otherwise I'd have been impeached three years ago."  


Eventually the quartet made it too the Quidditch field. Harry breathed in the fresh air, he hadn't been on the pitch at night for a while, he preferred having his practices in the afternoon unlike former captain Oliver Wood, who if he had it his way, Hogwarts would have no classes except Quidditch practices and two hours asleep a night.  


"Oy, Harry," Calvin called, shaking Harry out of his thoughts, 

"Help me set up the time-fracture wickets, in any way you can, and put your mask on, Hermi's got 'em."  


Hermione tossed Harry a mask, he nodded his thanks and strapped it over his eyes, with not small amount of difficulty as he was wearing glasses. Harry grabbed a few wickets and placed them around the field when he was done, Calvin tossed Harry the Calvinball.  


"You start, Hobbes'll be here soon."  


Harry caught the Calvinball and gazed at it, it looked perfectly normal, "Er, what do I do?"  


Suddenly Calvin yelled out "Swooping Penalty! No holding the Calvinball for more then five minutes!" With that, Calvin Disarmed the Calvinball from Harry, and ran off in the direction of a large clump of wickets. Harry meanwhile hit the ground with a thud, he got up quickly however and chased after Calvin.

  
Calvin meanwhile cleared the wickets with a bounding leap, Harry tried to follow him but misjudged, and tripped. Calvin yelled out victoriously.  


"Aha! You are in the Pit of Murkiness, you have to let me perform three spells on you!"  


Harry's mind whirled. How did Calvin come up with that? There really wasn't much of a field, let alone zones of play, it was almost as if...  


"_You're making this up as you go along!_" Harry cried out and whipped out his own wand, "Well, then you're in a Curseyourself Quadrilateral! You have to perform the Jelly-Legs Curse on yourself, and surrender the Calvinball!" Calvin's face went ashen and he threw the Calvinball to Harry to grabbed it with a whoop and performed a Levitation Charm on himself and he tossed the Calvinball towards the scoring hoops, sending it up further with Repelling Spells. Finally the Calvinball went through the hoop. Harry Summoned the ball back to him.

  
"That gives me five bogies!" he cried and suddenly he couldn't move and an icy feeling set over him. Then as though far away he heard Hobbes' voice.  


"Oy, you're in the Freezing Fortress! You surrender the Calvinball to me!" Harry could also, hear the laughter of Ron and Hermione. His body then convoluted and tossed forward, he felt the Calvinball leave his grasp and he tasted mud. He had never been Disarmed from the back before. Just as he got up , Hermione, or rather her head, smashed Harry across the jaw. She had been in the middle of a flying dive, and Harry had gotten in the way.  


"Oy!" Harry heard Hobbes' voice yell out, and Harry looked around as he pulled Hermione off of him. Hobbes was no where to be seen. Was this kind of a joke? Harry racked his mind for spells that would only allow just your voice to be heard, he could think of none. "You're in the Kissing Corner! Kiss Hermione, Harry!"  


Harry blushed and so did Hermione, but he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. They were really beginning to enjoy the moment when the Calvinball crushed into Harry's gut. He pulled out of his kiss with Hermione and he heard Calvin yelling, "That's six calgoals! I'm _winning!_"

  
Harry, gasping for air as the Calvinball had knocked the wind out of him, stood up. "Oh yeah," he attempted to yell, but what came out was more raspy and feeble, "Your actually in the Opposite Zone! Everything you say is the opposite of truth! Your actually losing!" 

  
"Also," Hobbes' voice rang out, "Calvin, you are also in the Dizziness Dungeon. You must spin around while singing a song by 'Wands Crossed'."  


Calvin groaned.  


"'Wands Crossed'?" Ron asked, clearly puzzled.  


"American wizarding band, equivalent to your 'The Weird Sisters'," Hobbes' voice supplied.  


Ron nodded and Calvin began to sing. Not only _did_ he sing, but he danced as he spun. Break-dancing to be exact, and he twisted, bent, and jumped through the entire song. Harry really wasn't listening to the song, but rather was laughing along with Ron and Hermione as Calvin's dancing antics. Eventually the song came to an end, and Calvin finished and bowed deeply.  


"Al-all right." Harry gasped, still laughing, "The way you get out of both the Opposite Zone and the Dizziness Dungeon is to..._get bonked by the Calvinball!_" Harry yelped as he fired the ball and it smacked Calvin upside the head.  


"Whoo-hoo!" Ron yelled, "That's another point for me! I've got ten whatevers!"  


Harry turned around angrily, "Oh yeah! How do you get a point?"  


Ron held out a rock, "I've got the Rock! The, er, Point-Grabber Rock," Ron added hastily.  


Suddenly the Rock began to levitate from Ron's hand and zoomed across the pitch, and was absorbed by nothingness. _How odd._ Harry thought.  


Hermione, when she saw this, wasted no time is pulling out her wand, and shooting a Summoning Charm were the Rock had went from her hip, "_Accio Invisibility Cloak!_" she bellowed.  


As a result they all saw Hobbes' head floating in mid-air. His torso followed, then his legs, and lastly his tail. Hermione meanwhile caught a silvery-looking piece of clothing.

  
"Why you..." Calvin then rattled off several words that were unsuitable for anyone, especially a fifteen-year old.  


Hobbes meanwhile just laughed, "Five points from Gryffindor, Calvin. You really shouldn't use such language."   


This only made Calvin's face become more heated and caused Hobbes more sniggering.  


"C'mon, Calvin, we really got to go in."  


Harry raised an eyebrow, a trick he had found irritated the Dursleys, "Why?"  


Hobbes chuckled, "You were having so much fun, that you didn't notice Dumbledore sitting in the stands!"  


They all looked up and did indeed see Albus Dumbledore sitting in the last row of seats at the pitch. Harry was instantly mortified, what if he had seen him and Hermione kissing?

  
"In any event," Hobbes went on, "I need to set an example for you guys."  


Calvin looked daggers at Hobbes, "So having me sing a song by 'Wands Crossed' is a good example."  


"Sure," Hobbes said nonchalantly, "Their a great band. Oh, and by the way, you guys make sure you don't miss my lesson tomorrow. It's very important."  


Hermione nodded vigorously, and Ron rolled his eyes. 


	13. The Grindewald Curses

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Thirteen-The Grindewald Curses  


****

Disclaimer: Taa daa! Ch. 13 is here! This one advances the plot a great deal, and does a little bit of foreshadowing for the chapters ahead. And always 1 review to continue although I wouldn't mind more *hint, hint* Read, review, and enjoy! 

In Defense Against the Dark Arts the next day, Hobbes was late for class. This was very unusual, especially since Hobbes had told Harry the other day to be sure to come. Just as Harry was wondering where the teacher was, a tired Hobbes Siberia, wearing dirty robes and with bags under his eyes walked in.  


"Can anyone tell me what the Grindewald Curses are?" Hobbes said, as he placed a few things around his desk. To no one's surprise at all, Hermione's had was the only one in the air.  


"Yes, Hermione?" Hobbes asked expectantly.  


"The Grindewald, or Incomplete, Curses are five extremely powerful Dark curses the wizard Grindewald attempted to invent in the early and middle 1940's during his attempt to take over both the Muggle and wizard worlds."  


"Perfect," Hobbes commented, "Can you tell me _what_ the five curses were, Hermione?"  


Hermione nodded confidently, "The first was an easier one Cruitatus Multiply. Simply put, you could place several people at a time under the Cruitatus Curse. Rumors were that he perfected this curse, but there is no real evidence.  


"The second is the Hitlercane Curse, named for Grindelwald's main Muggle follower Adolph Hitler, this curse was to twist the air in front of the person who performed the spell into a mini-hurricane that would be so powerful that a full-sized hurricane that big would wipe out the British Isles and mix them with Eastern Europe, and would go on for about ten feet. In other words, it would tear anything in front of it to shreds,  


"The third curse was _Avada Crucio_, he had no other name for it and achieved some limited success with it in 1945, shortly before his downfall. It was to be a mixture of pain and death, holding under more pain then the Cruicatus Curse could allow and let you writhe in agony, unable to anything but scream. Then, you died.  


"The fourth was supposed to be a Second Unblockable Curse, but it couldn't kill. Many believe it was either an variant of the Cruicatus or Imperious Curse. Should it have been an Imperious Curse, it is supposed to be one that only a wizard more powerful the fierier of the curse could resist.

  
"Grindewald kept the fifth in secret, it was, according to some of Grindewald's main followers, his largest project. There are two main ideas for what it was, both have their own separate evidence for being the Fifth Incomplete Curse. One was that the curse could raise the dead to life. An impossibility with what we know now, as supposedly no spell can raise the dead. The other was that it was a great blow of energy that could destroy an entire city from any point in the world, with an energy rivaling that of Muggle atomic weaponry."

  
The entire class was white-faced as Hermione finished.

  
"Excellent," Hobbes said softly, "One hundred and ten points to Gryffindor. Ten points for the answer to my first question, and twenty for each curse."  


"What?!" exclaimed Draco Malfoy, shocked. "One hundred and ten points!"  


"Draco," Hobbes stared at him with his black eyes, "If you continue your outbursting I will take off points from Slytherin."  


"I don't care," Draco said, jutting out his chin with defiance.  


"Ten points from Slytherin, Draco." Hobbes said in a warning voice.  


"See what I care," Malfoy smirked.  


"Ten more points, and you'll be reporting to detention in the dungeons with Mr. Filch tomorrow night."

  
"I don't care!" Malfoy yelled, wild-eyed. He yanked out his wand and screamed, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

  
And with that, both Hobbes and Malfoy crumpled to the floor.  
The first thing Harry did was rush over to Hobbes. He knelt by the fallen teacher and took his pulse. Pretty strong considering he was just hit with a Killing Curse. He pushed Hobbes a little bit, and even pounded on his chest. Around then he noticed Hermione and Ron were huddled around him.

  
"He's alive," Harry said to both of them, "Pretty strong pulse, too. Funny. What happened to Malfoy?"  


Ron's face was white, "Harry...they think he's dead."  


Harry turned around and noticed all of the Slytherins had crowded around Malfoy.  


"They probably just forgot to take a pulse," Harry said trying to cheer Ron up, "In any event Ron, you got get Dumbledore, passwords...um...Cauldron Cake."  


Ron nodded and rushed out of the room.  


"Herms, get me some water please."  


Hermione nodded and Summoned a cup from across the room, then utilizing the Hydroelement Charm she conjured some water in the glass and gave it to Harry, who splashed it on Hobbes' face. Hobbes muttering something about tuna, and Harry asked Hermione for another glass of water. Hermione obeyed, and Harry splashed more water on the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who finally woke up.  


"One hundred points from Slytherin," was the first thing out of his mouth. Then, yawning and rubbing his eyes, Hobbes got up.  


"Fool Malfoy," Hobbes said, "Just like Lucius."  


"You knew Lucius Malfoy?"  


Hobbes nodded, "He was a year ahead of me one at Hogwarts. He was the _worst_ kid I've ever seen. In any event, where is Draco."  


Hermione looked up at Hobbes, "Er, they think he's dead."  


Hobbes' eyes widened and he walked over to the crowd of Slytherins.  
"Clear the way, please, clear the way. Somebody go get Dumbledore."  


"We've already sent Ron," Harry called out.   


Hobbes nodded as he sat next to Malfoy and reached over for his neck vein and felt for a pulse.   


"He's alive," Hobbes announced after a few tense seconds. "Barely, but alive just as well. Poppy'll fix 'em up in no time.  


"But what about you, Hobbes?" Parvarti Patil called out.  


Hobbes smiled, "I'll live, trust me, it's not the first time some tried an _Avada Kedavra _on me and it failed because they'd never used it before. I'll bet Mad-Eye said something about that to you guys, you have to have practiced it before to kill with it. Old Jimmy Flint tried to pull that on me when we were in school after we first learned about it. He got himself expelled but good."

  
"Will Draco get expelled?" Pansy Parkinson said.  


Hobbes shook his head, "I don't know. I don't think so."  


"Why not?" asked Hermione, "After all you can get a life sentence in Azkaban for that."  


Hobbes pursed his lips, at that moment Ron ran in banging the door of it's hinges. Following him was Madam Pomfrey, and Professor Dumbledore.   


Dumbledore stared at Hobbes, "What happened?" he spoke crisply.  


"Mr. Malfoy started disrupting the lesson and questioning my judgement. I told him to be quiet or I'd take points from Slytherin, he continued his defiance. I took ten points from Slytherin. He went crazy, yanked out his wand and tried to kill me."  


"Do you know why?" Dumbledore looked at Malfoy who Madam Pomfrey was taking care of Malfoy while tut-tutting.  


"I guess he was under the Confoundus Charm, or even Imperious. Best bet on Confoundus. He just went plain _mad_."   


"Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Harry asked timidly.  


"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore looked at Harry and gazed at him with steely blue eyes.  


"This has nothing to do with Malfoy, but with the Grindewald Curses?"  


Dumbledore snapped to attention, "What about them Harry?"  


"I just remembered, it was in my dream were I learned of the Beauxbatons plot, Voldemort said "_Cruciomulia_". I think Voldemort has the Cruitatius Multiply Curse."  


Dumbledore went pale, "That gives him two...and the most painful ones."  


"What do you been Professor?" Ron interjected.  


Dumbledore sighed, "My intelligence tells me Voldemort perfected _Avada Crucio_."  


Hobbes looked stunned, "No.....do you think we may have to..."  


Dumbledore nodded gravely, "We must prepare the Order of the Phoenix. Immediately. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Arrow, you of course will come. Mr. Weasley, I would like you to come, but you need to stay behind and...well...just teach the class for awhile."  


Ron smiled and went up to the front of the class, as Hobbes, Calvin, Hermione, and Harry came forward, following Madam Pomfrey, who had Malfoy on a conjured stretcher. As they left they heard Ron yelling at a Slytherin, "You must call me Professor Weasley! Two hundred points from Slytherin!"  


Harry could have sworn he saw Dumbledore smile.  


At Dumbledore's office, however, there was no smiling.  


"Calvin Shawton Arrow, Harry James Potter, Hermione Elizabeth Granger, and Hobbes White Siberia. Welcome to a small meeting of the Phoenix Underground."  


They all nodded.  


"Do any of you know what _exactly _the Order of the Phoenix is?"  


They all shook their heads save Calvin and Hobbes.  


"The Order can only be activated by the second greatest Light sorcerer of the age. In the reign of Voldemort," Harry noticed that no one flinched, "That was James Potter. Fortunately, we never had to use the Order. In actuality no one knows exactly what the Order does, but we know how to activate it. Each of the Hogwarts founders enchanted one of their items to do good for the school's future. Godric Gryffindor left the Sorting Hat, Rowena Ravenclaw left Fawkes here, Helga Hufflepuff enchanted a quill that senses and writes down the names of all magical born humans in Britain that how we know to admit you all, and Salazar Slytherin left the Key."  


As he said this, Dumbledore pulled a small key out of his robes, it looked like a golden serpent, but had a point like a normal key.  


"When the other three are each touched simultaneously by the second most powerful Light wizard, supposedly a keyhole will appear that the Key goes into. The reason why the Order was never used for battles against past Dark wizards was that the Key was lost. We were franticly looking for it during Voldemort's first reign. Somehow, Harry's defeat of the basilisk in his second year caused the Key to materialize on my desk. Perhaps, Slytherin wanted to be sure the Key would never be used unless his Heir was gone, or perhaps it was a coincidence. We'll never know. Also, the Order can only be used in the confines of this school."  


Harry gulped, "Sir, who is the second best Light wizard."  


Albus Dumbledore looked into Harry's eyes, "I am."  


Harry was bewildered, then who was first, surely Dumbledore was kidding, nobody was better then _he_ was at magic. He was the Headmaster after all.  


"Then whose the best?" he asked incredulously.  


"You are Harry."  


Harry stared at Dumbledore's eyes, he was kidding, he was kidding, he was kidding. He was _not_ the best sorcerer in the world. Now way, no how.  


"I see that you don't believe me, is it something that Sirius told you?"  


Harry had to fight vigorously to nod, after all he _was_ related to Slytherin, but Sirius hadn't been supposed to tell him and he didn't want anything bad to happen to Sirius. What if he was sacked?  


"No, sir," Harry shook his head.  


For a second Harry could've sworn he saw a trace of relief flicker across Dumbledore's blue eyes. In an instant, however, it disappeared. Still, Harry figured he didn't imagine it, and felt as guilty for lying to Dumbledore as he had when he lied to Hagrid the year before.  


"Well, then, you may go. I believe your next class is Charms. Hobbes, I would suggest you go and relieve 'Professor Weasley' and return to Slytherin however many points he has taken off, and deduct the points he gave to Gryffindor."

  
"What about Malfoy?" Hermione spoke up as they were leaving.  


"I'll deal with him, don't worry about it. It's rather lucky he didn't have enough power to use the curse. I suppose Alastor taught you about that?"

  
They nodded and walked out.  


As Harry put his arm around Hermione's waist, Hermione spoke aloud, "So that's what the Order of the Phoenix is."  


Calvin nodded.  


Harry turned to Calvin, "Why didn't you tell us you were a Phoenix?"  


Calvin shrugged. "I dunno."  


Harry sighed, "I can't believe it."  


Hermione put her arm around his shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry Harry."  


"But, the Order has to be used _in_ the school! That's impossible!"  


"No, it's not," Calvin said quietly.  


Harry and Hermione's head snapped to Calvin.  


Sighing at the attention Calvin began speaking, "The real reason that the Order of the Phoenix must have been created was to defeat Dark wizards if they ever got within the school. L'Kurse was probably the last one ever to do that."  


Harry nodded, "It's gonna be an uphill battle isn't it?"  


Calvin and Hermione nodded.   
  



	14. Ground Zero: Hogsmeade

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Fourteen-Ground Zero: Hogsmeade  
**Disclaimer: OK, here we go. I didn't really like this chapter too much. It has some Quidditch, Harry's parents again, and Voldie getting really pissed... As always one review for the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews I've gotten so far.**

A week later, Harry awoke from his night's sleep with a purpose. The first Quidditch game of the year. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Harry smiled wryly he remembered his old crush on Cho Chang, and wondered what Cho would say to Ron when she saw him. Harry figured she would either be flattered, or insulted. Too bad they weren't playing Slytherin, he'd like to Malfoy down a peg, even if he had been tested and it turned out he'd been Confounded.  


As he changed into his Quidditch robes, grinning a little at the word "_Captain_" emblazoned on the back, Harry wondered if McGonagall had designed the new robes, they fit great and weren't as itchy as the old ones had been. Picking up his Twigger 150, Harry jumped down the stairs three at a time and met Hermione in the common room.  


"You're late," she smiled.  


Harry grabbed a hold of her hand, "Late? It's only nine. The game's at nine-fifteen. We can get to the pitch on time."  


Hermione smiled again, "You forgot breakfast."  


It suddenly dawned on Harry that he had, indeed, not eaten that morning. He shrugged. "No big deal. D'you know whose commentating with Lee playing Keeper?"  


Hermione nodded, "Ron. He's promised Lee that he'll do his best to keep up his tradition of biased commentary and swearing."  
Harry sniggered and they walked to the pitch. In the locker rooms Harry addressed his team,   


"Okay! We've got a _great_ team here, but our main problem is inexperience. Only four of us have played Quidditch here at Hogwarts. So, basically, we've got to try and trick these guys up. Calvin and Hermione, work in the Dopplebeater Defence and some Bludger Backbeats. The more the better. Chasers and Keeper, score what you can and block what you can. Let's go out there and show 'em!"  


Cheering the Gryffindors walked out. Harry distinctly heard Anglina mutter to Alica that "Oliver Wood's soul must have been passed onto Harry," and Harry grinned.  


Out on the pitch, the two teams gathered and Harry shook Cho's hand in front of Madam Pomfrey. Last year her touch would have made Harry woozy, not so anymore.

  
With that, Madam Hooch released the four Quidditch balls and both teams took to the air. Harry tried to stay out of the way only dodging the occasional Bludger, looking intently for the flecks of gold that signified the Golden Snitch, worth one hundred and fifty points to Harry's team and would win Gryffindor the game.  


Meanwhile, Harry listened to Ron's commentary.  


"Ohhhh, and Wilson with the Quaffle, passes-no-_beautifully_ blocked by Chaser Johnson, easily the most beautiful girl in Gryffindor," 

Simultaneously Professor McGonagall and Hermione glared at him. Hermione in jest, McGonagall in earnest, angry that Ron had inherited Lee's "unique" way of commentary.  


"Er, except for Granger and McGonagall of course."  


This sent the entire stadium into laughter even the Slytherins. 

Professor McGonagall looked ready to explode at first, and then her face relaxed and she laughed as well. The game went on.  


Harry zoomed around the field, still looking for the Snitch.  


"Oh, and another fantastic save for Jordan, who had to give up his coveted announcer's seat after he was begged onto the Gryffindor team."  


"Weasley," McGonagall said, getting furious.  


"And oh! Chang is going for the Snitch! Cho had seen the Snitch!"  
Harry's head whipped around and he dove for the Snitch as well, but he couldn't see it. As he approached the ground at high velocity, he realized Cho had pulled a Wronski Feint on him. The crowd gasped.  


"Oh, no! Harry's going to crash! Harry's going to crash! No Harry! No!"  


Grunting with the effort Harry attempted to pull up the broom, he was only ten feet from the ground...and...  


"He made it! What a pull-up! Pulled out from that at one inch! Ahoy Cho! Don't mess with anyone on a Twigger!"  


"Weasley!"  


"Sorry Professor."  


Harry smiled victoriously as he circled the pitch, he came near Hermione who was smiling broadly, and she high-fived him. Then, however a Bludger came sailing at Harry's head and she had to dive off her broom to get it with her bat. She socked the Bludger straight at Cho, who it caught right in the stomach.  


Harry, meanwhile, saw Hermione flying downward towards the ground, gravity speeding her up as she went into what looked like it could be a fatal fall. Pushing his broom with all his might, Harry zoomed towards Hermione as she plummeted towards the pitch grass.  


She was only thirty feet, twenty, fifteen, ten...and Harry managed to get under her, and catch her by the waist, the added weight nearly bucking them both of off his broom.  


Harry was about to land on the ground and call time-out when he saw a glint of gold fifty feet above him.  


"Sorry, Herm," he whispered to her, "Duty calls."  


Harry immediately pushed the broom upwards, flying as fast as he could. Hermione's weight slowing the broom down somewhat. At the other end of the pitch, Cho saw Harry zooming towards the Snitch and she flew like a madman in her attempt to get to the Snitch before Harry. At this she failed, but Harry didn't get there either, just as he was about to place his fingers around the Snitch it flew out if his hands, much to fast for him to snag it.  


Too late, Harry remembered Cho, and suddenly he felt a broom point smash into his gut, and he let go of Hermione, flying towards the ground faster then his broom could go.  


__

Whump! The crowd groaned. Harry hit the ground with such force that he saw red, and then blacked out.  


__

"Harry!" Lily Potter called out.  


Harry slowly got up, and then looked at his body laying there on the turf. Dumbledore was performing some sort of Healing Charm on him along with Madam Pomfrey. He noticed his scar was gone. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had landed and Hermione had been shocked mute. Ron was on the verge of tears and Lee was ashen faced.

  
"Mum?" Harry called out, walking over to her and embracing his mother. "Where's Dad?"  


"Away for awhile, Harry. Please be careful. I love you, and I'm sorry we couldn't be there to see you play."  


Harry smiled. "I love you too, Mum."  


Harry was sucked back into his body.  


"Ugh!" Harry grunted, and sat up.  


"He's alive!" Hermione yelled, her voice full of relief as she threw her arms around Harry. Harry hugged Hermione back gratefully, and he kissed her.   


Cho came up, teary-eyed.  


"Oh Harry! I'm sorry!"  


Harry nodded, still kissing Hermione, when Madam Hooch interrupted.  


"Ahem! Penalty for Ravenclaw for ramming the Seeker! Potter, Granger, break it up!"  


Harry and Hermione pulled out of each other's grasp, embarrassed. Harry could feel his face flame red. Why had he done that? Was he in _love_ with Hermione Granger?  


Harry pushed off of the ground, riding his broom easily. It was hard to believe that they had improved on the Firebolt, but somehow they had. He looked around for a glimpse of the Snitch. Hermione was a great Beater, Harry realized as he watched Hermione smash off precision shots at the Ravenclaws, breaking up their game well. Harry also remembered Hermione had leapt off her broom and hit Cho when Harry had caught her. Man, she was good!

  
It was when he was staring at Hermione that he saw it. It wings batting slowly, as though tired, the Golden Snitch was right by Hermione's ear. Harry figured that it would be worse if he went straight for the Snitch and instead, took a curving path as fast as he could. Harry saw Cho follow him hesitantly out of the corner of his eye. Right as he was about to pull out of his turn and head straight for the Snitch, he felt a _whoosh!_ of wind go past him and he heard Cho yelp in pain. He turned back and saw Cho falling of her broom having been hit neatly in the chest by a Bludger. Shocked, Harry quickly went over to Hermione, who was grinning broadly. Harry grabbed the Snitch and smiled at Hermione.  


"Great shot, 'Mione!" Harry enthused as they landed, and he took her hand. "That was great!"  


Hermione smiled sheepishly, "Harry, it's just a Quidditch game! I need to go and study for that Charms test."  


Harry rolled his eyes, sighing and staring at Ron as he called out the final score, "GRYFFINDOR 600, RAVENCLAW 370! Great plays by Captain Harry Potter, and Beater Hermione Granger, combined with the spectacular Keeping of Lee Jordan wins the game!"

  
After the game, they all went up to Gryffindor Tower, expecting a party, but Hermione was steadfast against it.   


"Harry, for cripes' sake, we're _prefects!_ We're expected to uphold the rules of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Not only that, I'm behind working on S.P.E.W.! I mean, come on, Harry! The house-elves need my help."  


"Herm," Harry said, "How 'bout this, if we have the party, I'll do all of the homework and extra-credit for a month, writing at least as much as you do? _And_, I'll work with you on S.P.E.W. for a month as well."  


Hermione laughed, "No way you can last on my schedule Potter!" she said mock fiercely.  


Harry sniggered, "Oh, yeah? Then let us have the party and I'll prove it to you!"  


Hermione nodded.  


The party went on for several hours, mostly some dancing to 'The Weird Sisters' and a few songs by 'Wands Crossed' that Calvin had, on Parvati's Magick Muzak Player. Lee Jordan went down and nicked some food from the kitchens with Ron. ("That's it's that hard," Ron groused. "They love feeding you.")  


At around midnight however, Professor McGonagall came in and broke the party up. After Harry had kissed Hermione good night before he went into the boy's dorm, she reminded him teasingly, "Remember, you're now on the Hermione Granger Homework Schedule," and kissed him again.  


Harry smiled as he went to bed that night, sighing and enjoying life. He dreamt only pleasant dreams that night. But the next day was worse then any nightmare.  


As soon as Harry woke up the next day, he regretted his rash decision to go on Hermione's study schedule. Whenever Hermione was asked for a five foot long essay, she always returned it on two ten-foot long rolls in tiny handwriting.  


Harry sighed. Oh well, a promise was a promise after all. It would be a long month, though. As he walked down the stairs he saw Hermione waiting for him.  


"After breakfast," she said swiftly, putting her arm around his waist, and Harry smiled at the warmth it brought, "We go to the library."  


"On a Saturday?" Harry asked incredulously.  


Hermione nodded, "Naturally, you promised _every_ extra-credit and we have a Potions essay on Rawtackley Potions and their effects that we can turn in on Monday."  


"Aw, Herm!" Harry wailed, "But Snape said it had to be _fourteen _feet long."  


Hermione shrugged and flashed Harry a big grin. _She's enjoying this._ Harry thought glumly to himself. _Oh well I'll just-_  


"AUGHHHHH!" Harry screamed, hands reaching for his scar, the source of the pain and...it _wasn't_ there. Hermione whipped around, and Harry fell for the floor, the last thing he thought was _At least I'll see my Mum and Dad._

  
_Harry got up quickly this time, and looked down. Hermione had caught him before he fell and was trying to wake him up. She felt for a pulse, and then instantly looked pale. There must not have been one. Gently, Harry watched as she laid himself on the ground and began pumping his chest and giving him air through his mouth. He turned away, sighing. He couldn't believe that Hermione was going through this.  
_

"Harry, I know it's hard. But don't worry." James Potter laid a hand on Harry's shoulder.  


Harry turned around and found him face to face with his father. "Why am I here?"

  
James sighed, "Well Harry, here's what it is. Lord Voldemort has gained a terrible weapon and he's going to test it out."  


Harry went white, "Not a Grinde-"  


James nodded, "Yes, Harry. An Incomplete Curse. This is his third and most dangerous. While you can't stop him, you can see him. Somehow, he's managed to avoid being in your dreams."  


Harry nodded. So that was it! He hadn't_ had any nightmares recently, save one or two not induced by Voldemort.  
_

James snapped his fingers and they arrived at a place that was nearly pitch dark. Harry was able to make out the red face of Voldemort, and the black cloaked figures known as Death Eaters.  


"So!" Voldemort voice boomed out, "You have come!"  


"Yes, my Lord!" The Death Eaters chorused, bowing.  


"Ahh, as you know. I haven't called for a meeting since the attack on Fudge, and my "promotion" of Percy Weasley as the Minister of Magic."  


The Death Eaters laughed, a hideous horrid sound like nails scraping on a chalkboard.  


"The reason is because I have been working on completing another of Grindewald's greatest fantasies, the Fifth Curse."  


The Death Eaters gasped as one.  


"The reason I have not told you, is naturally, because I do not think that all of you are a hundred percent loyal to the Dark cause." At this Voldemort glared at one of the cloaked figures.  


"My Lord!" Harry was shocked to hear the voice coming from the Death Eater, was none other then Severus Snape's! "How could you doubt my loyalty to you, oh Master! How, I feel so low, to be out of your trust!" Snape knelt on the ground, weeping.  


"He's a good actor isn't he Harry?" James said, making Harry jump.  
Harry nodded.

  
"Then why Severus, were you late to come to me that night I rose again?" Voldemort said cruelly.  


Harry was amazed at how weak and raspy Snape could make his voice, "Please forgive me Master! I was teaching a class! I could not leave when that-" Harry couldn't believe the amount of language Snape threw out, some of it Harry had never heard before.  


"Always could swear a blue streak when we were in school," James smiled.  


"-old man Dumbledore was looking over my shoulder. The man always hates me. I had to beg to get my teacher's job so that one day, when the time was right, I could kill Potter!" Snape finished, wailing.  
Voldemort looked mildly surprised. "Well then Snape. Perhaps I should yield my punishment and continue with my presentation..."  
James looked at Harry, "Harry, go now. When you wake up, get Hermione to go with you to Dumbledore. Thank her for reviving you later. Harry, Voldemort's going to detonate the Fifth, or Fiwairthal Curse on Hogsmeade. You needed to see this, to know. Never doubt Snape, he has enough on his platter. Go!"  


Harry's body lurched on the common room floor, and he groggily stood up.  


"Harry!" Hermione wailed hugging him strongly, and kissing him. "I thought-I thought-you-were..." her voice trailed off and Harry put his arms around her.  


"Hermione," he whispered urgently. "My dad was there. We have to go see Dumbledore!"  


She pulled away, nodding, "What's going to happen?"  


"Hogsmeade, it's going to be attacked," Harry said, hurriedly.  


They ran as if their lives depended on it, and while they didn't, others' did.  


Screeching to a quick stop outside of Dumbledore's office, he yelled out the password, "Cauldron Cake!" As the gargoyle opened they sprinted in.  


Upon arriving in Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster looked up at them in mild surprise.  


"Harry, Hermione-"  


Harry cut off Dumbledore speaking as fast as he could, "Professor! The Fifth Curse! Voldemort's going to attack Hogsmeade with it!"  
Albus Dumbledore turned the whitest shade Harry had ever seen anyone turn. To Harry's surprise, Dumbledore pulled a telephone from a drawer in his desk. Seeing Harry's surprise, Dumbledore smiled.  


"Hotline to the President of Hogsmeade," Dumbledore said, "Faster then an owl."  


Harry nodded, he didn't know that Hogsmeade had a government. Just as he thought that, the world went black.  


__

"Are you certain that you should not attack Hogwarts, my Lord?" Severus Snape asked Lord Voldemort, lying prostrate on the ground.  
Voldemort's grotesque figures turned into a smile.   


"Ahh, Severus, Severus, Severus. No, we shouldn't. We can't attack it with Dumbledore's Anti-Dark Spells, Protectorate ghost Viktor Krum, and other defense skill, we'd have to physically attack the school. Not just yet, Snape. You'll get your chance to torture Potter. Who I'm sure is watching us in a dream, I cannot control his dreams and the power necessary for the Fiwairthal Curse."  


Snape smiled evilly, "Thank you, my Lord."  


Voldemort pulled out his wand, ignoring Snape and pointed the wand towards the sky, "Firos!_" A jet of orange-red flame burst out of the wand, "_Hydros!"_, crystal-blue water lurched from the wand forming into a column by the fire, which was still emanating from Voldemort's wand. "_Oxy!_", a running stream of pure silver mist flew from the wand and aligned itself with the other two elements. "_Landisosa!"_, thick brown muck soared out of the wand, which was know shaking uncontrollably. The four elements mixed with each other and formed a purplish green color that crackled uncontrollably.   
_

"Hogsmeade!" _Voldemort bellowed, and the curse flew off, a beautiful but deadly bulk of energy._  


Harry's head slammed into the floor, and he heard someone screaming. Then, Harry realized it was himself, and clamped his hands over his mouth until the pain in his scar abated. Hermione gently helped Harry to his feet, he smiled at her touch, but then remembered the gravity of the situation.

  
Dumbledore looked at Harry looking at least ten years older then when Harry had walked into the room. "Harry, what did you see?"  


"Voldemort," Harry gasped, "He did the Fifth Curse, he conjured up the four elements, one by one, and they merged, and he yelled out 'Hogsmeade!', and they left. Crackling, like a bunch of lightning."  


Dumbledore nodded, "So the Fifth Curse will destroy the city then, no doubt. Secretly, I always hoped it would bring back the dead."  


"Why?" Harry inquired, regretting it instantly. Harry always hated it when he pried into Dumbledore's personal life.  


"Let's just say it has to do with Erised, Harry," Dumbledore said sadly.  


Harry nodded, although he didn't exactly get it. Apparently Dumbledore had lost someone and it had been his desire to have him or her alive again. Maybe his wife?  


The telephone rang, and Dumbledore picked it up. After nodding gravely a few times his face crinkled into a large smile and harry could almost see the years fading off of Dumbledore's face. After smiling and saying something about "Next summer." Dumbledore hung up the phone.  


"Great news Harry!" Dumbledore exclaimed, sitting back down. "There were no casualties, the wide-scale Apparation Alarms went of perfectly! Although," Dumbledore sobered here, "The entire city was leveled, construction has begun on New Hogsmeade and should be completed next summer, as New Hogsmeade."  


Harry smiled the smile of the relieved. It was as if a weight had disappeared off of his back. No deaths, no injuries, none missing. It was music to the ears of young Harry Potter. He had made it in time, no one had died. Voldemort hadn't won this battle.   


"That's great," Harry breathed.  


Dumbledore nodded, "Harry, we owe it all to you and Hermione here, do you mind telling me what happened?"  


Harry nodded and recounted seeing his father, seeing Snape, seeing Voldemort, everything. When he finished Harry smiled, "And we saved them."  


Dumbledore nodded, smiling. "Most certainly, Harry. Now, why don't you go back to the common room and round up Calvin and Hobbes for some Calvinball?"  


Harry went red, remembering that Dumbledore had seen them playing, and probably Hermione and him kissing. Dumbledore laughed at the look on Harry's face.

  
Harry sighed, "I don't think I can go back to the common room yet?"  


"Why?" Dumbledore asked.  


Harry groaned, "I'm on The Hermione Granger Study Schedule, and I have to go write a fourteen-foot extra-credit essay for Snape."  


Dumbledore smiled, "You two remind me so much of Harry's parents. Lily always trying to get him to study. James always trying to get Lily to go out with the Marauders after lights-out."  


Harry blushed, having himself and Hermione compared to his parents was strange. Not that he minded. Again he wondered if he loved Hermione. _Love_, such a strange word. He was only fifteen for Heaven's sake. Fifteen-year olds don't fall in love, he told him self. He _liked_ Hermione. A lot, but just _like_.  


"In any event Harry," Dumbledore said, "You two should leave now, Severus should be here any minute."  


Nodding, Harry and Hermione walked out hand-in-hand.  


"Well, Harry Potter," Hermione joked, "You've saved the world again."  


Harry smiled, "Not the world, no that was more of a draw really. I guess there won't be anymore Hogsmeade trips."  


"Too bad," Hermione said, "I was looking towards going with you."  
Harry's grin got bigger, "By the way, Herm, thanks for reviving me. I owe you what now, two...three...four times my life?"  


Hermione grinned as well, "Yeah Mr. Potter, and watch out I'm going to come and collect soon."  
"Miss Granger," Harry said in a mock-McGonagall tone, "There is no spell that let's you kill someone four times."

  
Hermione sniggered, "Yeah, well, you've saved me loads of times as well!"  


Harry nodded, "I suppose. Although if it weren't for you and Ron, I'd be dead now."  


"Maybe we're your guardian angels," Hermione suggested teasingly, 

"C'mon, let's get to the library, juts because you've saved thousands of people doesn't mean that you get out of your Potions extra-credit." Hermione steered Harry in the direction of the library. Harry groaned.   



	15. Elves, Howlers, Stupendous Man, and A Ba...

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Fifteen-Elves, Howlers, Stupendous Man, and A Battle  
**Disclaimer: Yay! I finished writing the rough draft of KatT! It's 25 chaps long, and is followed by two sequels tentativly titled "Harry Potter and the Resurrection of Camelot", and "Harry Potter and the Pyramids of Atlantis". I'm working on the rough draft of RoC now, and I'm happy w/ it so far. I don't really know if the following chapter holds together well...oh well. It's long and adds two more subplots....::readers collectively groan::. Well as always 1 review for Chapter Sixteen. Hopefully posted in a day or two. R/R/E (Read/Review/Enjoy)**

Harry returned to the common room late that night with Hermione after finishing the essay, and kissed her goodnight for a long time before heading into his dorm.  


To his surprise, none other then Ron Weasley was pacing the dorm room mumbling to himself.  


"What's wrong Ron?" Harry asked, concerned for his friend's well-being. 

  
"Cho," was all Ron said, as though this explained everything.  


"Uh, right Ron," Harry said, confused, "What about Cho?"  


"Her friends say she likes me."  


Harry was bewildered, "But isn't that what you want? I mean the song and everything."  


Ron nodded, "But that just it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "She pays no attention to me!"  


Harry sighed, "Ron, just ask her out. You did that with Hermione, didn't you?"  


Ron shook his head, "But that...that...was different."  


Harry rolled his eyes, "How so?"  


Ron glared at Harry, "Don't do this to me. My brothers don't know who they are, Calvin and Hermione have taken their places on the Quidditch team. Ginny doesn't spend any time with me, not that I blame her, and your always off snogging Hermione!"  


Harry felt a pang of guilt, he had been ignoring Ron a lot, too much, actually. "Look, Ron. For one I'm not off snogging with Hermione all the time. I was working on an essay with her in the library. I made a deal with her that'd I do all of my homework like she does for a month."  


A smile slowly crept across Ron's face and turned into some sniggering. Harry frantically tried to get his friend to be quiet, as the others were beginning to move in their sleep. Finally, Ron calmed down, wiping the tears off his face from his hysterical laughter.  


"Harry, you're really going to regret that you know!"  


Harry nodded, "So, are you going to ask Cho out?"  


Ron shook his head, "Where will I get the courage, Harry? How'd you ask Hermione out?"  


Harry thought, this would be difficult, as it was a different situation, it had more like love at-_no_, Harry told himself, _like_ at first, or rather around one millionth sight as he had known her for five years first. Hmmm...what should he say?  


"Well, I, er, just asked her, 'Hermione, will you go out with me?'"  


Ron looked up hopefully, "Really?"  


"Yeah," Harry hoped he wasn't giving his friend bad advice, after all, he had really _known_ Hermione before he asked her out. Ron didn't know _anything_ about Cho. Not that Harry did for that matter. "Now, let me get to sleep. 'Mione wants me up at six tomorrow."  


Ron shrugged as if to say, _Whatever_, and Harry went into his four-poster and fell asleep, forgetting he still had his school robes on, completely exhausted.  


Harry was aware of a faint pounding on his bed the next morning, and then felt something cold touch his face. He rolled over groggily, as he was not a morning person. He saw Hermione Granger standing by his four-poster, already dressed for the day, and holding a soaked rag.  


"Hermione?!" he asked incredulously, "What's going on?"  


"Shh!" Hermione said, putting a finger to her lips. It's six a.m."  


"What in the name of Merlin do we have to do at _six a.m._?!" Harry said, a little too loudly, and Harry heard Seamus' tired voice call out, 

"Shut up, there Harry! Stop talking to yourself! You-Know-Who's not outside the window!"  


Hermione giggled, "C'mon Harry!"  


Harry protested more quietly, "But I've got to get to the prefect's bathroom and take a shower. These robes are the one's I wore last night."  


Hermione sighed, "All right, go take a shower, and meet me at the library."  


Harry nodded, grabbed a new set of robes, and headed out the door after Hermione.  


After a quick shower in the prefect's bathroom, although Harry preferred taking baths, as the prefect's bathtub was almost like a swimming pool, Harry changed and ran out to meet Hermione at the library. When Harry arrived he noticed she had her collecting tin she used for S.P.E.W. out and her S.P.E.W. badge was on.  


"C'mon, Herms," Harry groaned, "Do we have to do this?"  


Hermione stared at Harry, "House elf liberation is more important then a lot of other things Harry, like Quidditch."  


"But your _on_ the Quidditch team," Harry pointed out.  


Hermione shrugged, "Yeah, until Fred and George come back."  


Harry shook his head, "I dunno. You're better then Fred or George, I'll admit that in front of them."  


Hermione smiled, and Harry felt his knees go weak and he sat down.  
"Anyway, 'Mione. You tried collecting money last year, and it didn't work, I mean, why don't you go and see Dumbledore about it?"  


Harry had been kidding, but Hermione's eyes widened, "Great idea Harry!"  


__

Oh great, was all Harry could think.  


"Why didn't I think of it before! Dumbledore _hired _Dobby and Winky! He's obviously pro-elf rights!"  


"Herm," Harry began trying to tell her that this was dumb, impossible, and embarrassing, but Hermione cut him off.  


"Let's go, Harry!"   


Sighing and hoping Dumbledore would forgive him, Harry stood up, slipped his arm around Hermione's waist and walked towards Dumbledore's office.  


"Cauldron Cake!" he said lazily to the stone gargoyle and it moved away slowly, and Harry and Hermione walked in, up the stairs, and through the oak doors. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk stroking Fawkes, and staring at something that seemed far away. He did however, motion that Harry and Hermione sit down.  


"So," Dumbledore said quietly, and Harry was afraid that something was wrong, "You came here. Well I suppose that's best. Harry, I have bad news for you."  


A billion thoughts and worries ran through Harry's mind, but only one stood out, "The dementors caught Sirius?"  


"No," Dumbledore said sadly, "Your cousin and aunt were murdered by Death Eaters. For some reason , a reason that I'm not sure why just yet, your uncle was spared."  


Harry felt like a ten-ton truck had just mowed over his chest. Dudley and Aunt Petunia dead? Why in Heaven's name would Voldemort wish to kill the _Dursley's_? They were no threat to Voldemort, and why had Uncle Vernon lived? It made no sense whatsoever.  


"Oh."  


"I understand this must be a shock to you, Harry," Dumbledore said gently, still stroking Fawkes, "But they were obviously important to him. Severus tells me he sent them there immediately, and they were dead before the meeting was over and Severus could warn me. I'll excuse you from classes tomorrow if you wish."  


"Oh no, Professor," Harry answered, "It's not that bad, I just...don't get it, that's all."  


Dumbledore nodded, "I know the feeling Harry. I wish I didn't, but I do. Now, what did you and Miss Granger come to talk to me about, are you two getting married?" A faint gleam of the familiar sparkle was in Dumbledore's blue eyes.  


Harry's face went red, "Uh, no, Professor. No. Er, um, well."  


Hermione giggled at Harry's obvious discomfort, "Actually, Professor, last year I formed a society called, S.P.E.W., Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare, and we were wandering if..." Hermione' voice trailed off, losing it's previous courage, "Er, you would help us."  


Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, "You realize, of course, Miss Granger, that house-elves _enjoy_ working."  


Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Er, yeah, but it's because they don't know better."  


Dumbledore nodded, "Frankly I believe that you're right, Miss Granger, and the house-elf Dobby really is perhaps the best of his kind. Unfortunately, even he doesn't wish to have equal wages to a human."  


Hermione grinned, "So you'll join?"  


A smile spread across Dumbledore's face, and it was infectious. Harry found himself smiling as well. "Naturally, I believe it's two Sickles for membership?"  


Hermione blushed, "Oh, Professor, er, you don't have to, erm pay."  
Dumbledore grinned broadly as he placed two silver coins on the desk and Hermione tossed them into the collecting can, and gave him a badge.  


"Oh, and one more thing Hermione," Dumbledore said, pinning the badge to his robes under the Order of Merlin, First Class, "Please tell each of the house-elves they will be receiving payments of one Galleon a week a piece from now one. I believe Mr. Potter knows where they are, and so do you."  


Hermione blushed and nodded.  


"Go, you have my permission. And don't hesitate to use my name in recruiting," Dumbledore smiled, "And Harry, again, I'm sorry."  


Harry nodded, not wanting to think about the fate of his aunt and cousin, and left with Hermione.  


"Wow," she said, rattling the two silver Sickles in the can, "I can't believe that."  


Harry put his arm around her, "I guess your pretty happy, huh, Herms?"  


Hermione nodded vigorously and gave Harry and quick, but soft kiss on the lips, "Yeah. We're helping to free the slaves, like Abraham Lincoln."  


"Abraham Lincoln?" Harry repeated, the name was vaguely familiar.  


"Yeah," Hermione said, "Muggle President of the United States during the North American War, he freed the slaves in the South, didn't you ever take U.S. History in Muggle school?"  


Harry shook his head, "I was going to go to Stonewall High, and take it when I turned eleven, but I never went, 'cause I came here."  


"Really?" Hermione said with interest, "I was going to go to Stonewall High. Maybe we would have been friends there."  


Harry laughed hollowly, "Not if you saw the uniform I was going to wear, it looked horrible, I mean Ugly with a capital U."  


Hermione raised her eyebrows, "And since I would have been ostracized for being a know-it-all, we probably would have been friends."  


Harry grinned, "I hope so, but we're more then friends now, aren't we?"  


"Yup," Hermione grinned as they entered the hallway that contained the entrance to the kitchens.  


Harry tickled the pear on the correct portrait, and as it sniggered, the door opened and Harry and Hermione walked in.  


"Harry Potter, sir, has come to visit Dobby, sir! Thank you, Harry Potter, sir!"  


Harry looked down at his leg were Dobby, with his big eyes was hugging him gratefully. Dobby's clothes were interesting too say the least, a tea cozy for a hat, a weird-looking Hawaiian type shirt, jeans that had been cut into shorts, with rope for a belt, and two different types of socks, and a tennis shoe on one foot and a Muggle dress shoe on the other. Harry had a lot of trouble to prevent from laughing.  


"Hey there Dobby. How have you been."  


"Great! Harry Potter, sirs! We really enjoyed playing at the feast Harry Potter. It was wonderful, some elves have even," he huddled closely to Harry and whispered, "taken _breaks_ from work, sir!"  


"That's fantastic," Hermione said, "Actually, this leads up to my announcement from Dumbledore."  


At these words the elves all looked up expectantly, Dumbledore was their master and they served him, a message from him was important, especially if Harry Potter had been sent.  


"You'll all be paid a Galleon a week!" Hermione exclaimed, obviously expecting them to cheer. Instead, a few grumbled but most went back to their work, although they did seem a little annoyed.   


Dobby looked up at Hermione, "Really, ma'am? Paying for all elves? House-elves get monies?"  


Hermione nodded, smiling that at least one elf was overjoyed to see his fellows become better off.  


"Hurrah!" Dobby yelled, in his squeaky voice, "Would you like some food, sirs and ma'am?"  


"No thanks," Hermione declined before Harry could accept the offer, "We're going to eat."  


"Okay, be sure to comes again!" Dobby waved as they left.  


As they walked out, Harry noticed that Hermione didn't look too happy, he put his arm around her shoulders, "What's the matter, huh, 'Mione?"  


Hermione sighed, "It just makes no sense, why don't they get ecstatic when they get paid?"  


"Maybe because they don't have anything to buy," Harry suggested lightly.  


Hermione snapped to attention, "Of course! That's it Harry, your a genius!"  


"What the-Herm, I was-" Harry was cut off as Hermione kissed him. Harry put his hands around her waist and kissed her back, but eventually they had to come up for air as both were gasping when they finished.  


"Thanks, Harry!" she said again, and they walked off to the Great Hall, hand-in-hand.  


Upon arrival at the Great Hall, they found that most of the school had finally woken up and was there. Harry and Hermione sat down for a place at the Gryffindor table, but for forced to sit across from each other. Then, an interesting event happened. _Everyone_, at _every_ table were sent Howlers, except for Calvin, Ron, and Ginny, which Harry found very suspicious. Sighing deeply, Harry tried to slit open the red envelope that was beginning to smoke out of the sides. _But it wouldn't open!_ Harry vigorously tried to open the Howler. Eventually it exploded in his hands, burning them both pretty bad, but not before he got a look at a logo on the lower right corner of the envelope, 'WWW'.  


"EYOWWWWWWW!" Harry's scream was hardly heard by anyone because of the explosions of other trick Howlers and the yelps of others who had the Howler burst apart while in their hands. Harry wrung both of his hands which were both blackened with ash. Hermione, who had been smart enough to let hers blow up on the table, saw Harry's hands, tut-tutted, and then performed a Bandage Charm on them, covering them up with gauze strips. He nodded thankfully. Others asked Hermione to perform the spell on them, while other staggered out in the direction of the hospital wing. Still others glared at Calvin, Ginny, and Ron, who were trying hard to laugh.  


Professor Dumbledore, who had been up on the staff table enjoying his breakfast heard the bursting of Howlers and the screams of pain and magically amplified his voice and quickly gained the attention the Hall.  


"Those of you injured by the Howlers should immediately head to the hospital wing to get your skin repaired, if you have not been harmed, please continue eating as normal."  


Harry was one of the first one's to head out of the Hall after a sideways look at Ron and Calvin who were now concentrated on looking like perfect angels.  
  
When Harry was out of the hospital wing, it had only taken Madam Pomfrey a minute to repair the skin after muttering a charm and smearing some kind of gelatin over the burned areas of his hands and shooed him out, he met up with Calvin, Ron, and Hermione.   


"So," Harry said coolly, as though trying to be intimidating, although his smile betrayed that, "Did you Mr. Arrow, and you Mr. Weasley have anything to do with that, er, 'incident' in the Great Hall?"  


"Guilty as charged," Ron said, "Fred and George are beginning to get their memories back, and they told us they'd been planning on doing that for awhile."  


"They've regained a lot of their memory really fast then," Hermione said.  


Ron nodded, "Yeah, really weird, since they were supposed to be completely out for the year, but Dumbledore told us Madam Pomfrey always makes everything seem worse then it is."  


Harry nodded, "Yeah, everything, except that regrowing bones are painful." He winced at the memory  


Calvin smiled, "Yeah, one time playing Calvinball, Hobbes said a curse wrong, and took out all of the bones in my legs. That's a painful."

  
Ron and Hermione sniggered, Harry didn't as he could understand more clearly."  


"Well," Hermione said, "Time for Transfiguration."  


"Yeah," said Ron, "and then Hermione's favorite Divination."  


Harry groaned, he'd forgotten about Divination.

  
As they walked into Transfiguration, they saw Professor McGonagall mindlessly transfiguring objects throughout the room. Looking up at them, she smiled. "Potter, Granger, Weasley, and Arrow. Good morning. Please take your seats, class will begin in a minute."  


Shortly after they took their seats, the rest of the fifth-year Gryffindors, and the fifth-year Hufflepuffs walked in.   


"Today," trilled Professor McGonagall, "We will began studying Transmogrifying, does anyone here know what the Transmogrifier Spell does?"  


Hermione and Calvin's hands both shot up into the air. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise, usually Calvin failed miserably at answering questions and would be lucky to skim past all of his classes, except Defense Against the Dark Arts, were he challenged Hermione for first in the class.  


"Mr. Arrow?"  


"The Transmogrifer Spell, invented by a young American wizard," _Calvin_, Harry thought, "And officially conceived as a spell four years ago," _when Calvin was eleven in America_, Harry figured quickly, "really chooses the person rather then the person chooses the spell. Normally, Transmogrification is random. However, some wizards can actually transmogrify on demand by saying the magic word, "_Zap!_"  


"Very good," answered McGonagall, "Ten points to Gryffindor."  


Calvin beamed, and stared at the surprised faces around him.  


"Another question," continued McGonagall, "Does the person who has transmogrified always appear that way to everyone?"  


Hermione and Calvin again raised their hands.  


"Miss Granger," McGonagall called out.  


"No," Hermione answered, "Only by other wizards or magical creatures."  


"Excellent. Now your homework is..."  


The class groaned.  
  
After classes Harry asked Ron if he'd asked Cho out yet. When Ron said no, Harry encouraged his friend to go and ask her immediately, or else he'd tell the entire school Ron loved Cho with the Quidditch megaphone during dinner. When Ron laughed, Harry quickly the turned the wrong way at a hallway, and Ron asked where he was going.  


"To go pick up the megaphone," was Harry's answer.  


Ron went completely white. "No, Harry. Please no, Harry."  


"Just ask her then, you asked Fleur to the Yule Ball last year."  


Ron's face went from white to red in remembrance, "But...I didn't mean too..."  


"Just do it," Harry said.  


Ron gave an audible sigh, defeated, "All right then."  


"Great," Harry enthused, looking behind him. He had heard somebody coming and was right, in fact was _Cho!_ Naturally, she was surrounded by all of her girlfriends, and at the sight of her, Ron went beet-red from head to toe.  


"C'mon Ron," Harry said, taking his friend by the arm and ignoring his protests as Harry dragged him over to Cho, and left him there in front of her like any good friend with only the words, "Ron needs to ask you something Cho." and left to meet Hermione and Calvin (who was joining this study session) in the library.  


Twenty minutes later in the library, Harry was polishing off the rest of his History of Magic assignment, (detail the works of the first Minister of Magic, Deveen Tyrone") when Ron walked in, literally floating in mid-air.

  
"Hey what happened with Cho?" Hermione asked trying, but absolutely failing to sound casual.  


Ron grimaced, "I'll tell you later, now, would somebody please perform the _De_levitation Charm? Malfoy met up with me in the halls, after I asked Cho."  


"What'd she say?" Harry asked eagerly.  


Ron ignored him, "Would somebody _please_ get me down?"   


Calvin flashed a smile that made his mouth look like a triangle, it was so wide, and shook his head, "Not until you tell us?" he said in a sing-song voice.  


Ron's eyes flashed with temper, "GET ME DOWN!" he bellowed.  


"Why can't you?" Harry asked, trying his best to look innocent.  


"I FORGOT THE BLOODY WORDS, NOW GET ME DOWN!"  


Hermione rolled her eyes and yanked out her wand, pointing it at Ron, she muttered, "_Aleviosisa!_" and Ron's feet finally touched ground.  


"Thank you, Hermione," Ron said still anger in his voice.  


"Now," Calvin said, "What'd she say?"  


Ron looked down and sighed.  


__

Uh oh, Harry thought, _She must've said no.  
_

Ron looked up, now smiling. "She said yes."  


"Why to go Ron!" said Calvin as he put down his quill, "Finally I finished that extra Charms work. You guys done?"  


Harry finished his last line on his History of Magic parchment and nodded. "Yeah, I'm done, how 'bout you, Herm?"  


"I finished twenty minutes, ago. You want to go back to the common room and play some wizard chess? We don't have Quidditch practice today."  


Harry smiled, "I would know, wouldn't I? After all, I _do_ set the dates and times for practices."  


"How 'bout I play winner, eh, Harry?" asked Calvin as he placed a few books back on the shelves.  


"Sure," Harry answered, "You in too Ron? We can make it a tournament."  


"Uh, no." answered Ron, "I, er, need to go to the Ravenclaw common room, "Um, it's a party Cho's friends are throwing for her birthday, and I'm invited."  


Harry chuckled, "Go then Ron. Tell us all about it later, of course."  


Back in the common room, Harry managed to lose spectacularly to Hermione, and his chess pieces spent more time fighting each other over whether or not to follow Harry's orders so often that he had to sometimes move them by hand.  


Calvin then beat Hermione just as spectacularly as Harry had lost to Hermione, and Harry played Calvin. This time Harry managed to keep the game close for awhile, but eventually lost everyplace but his king, and the king faked a stroke so the game could end. Hermione then declined another game as it was getting late and "prefects need their sleep". Calvin promised to meet Harry up in the boys' dorm after he put away the chess set, which Harry did, and then he bent to kiss Hermione goodnight...

  
"STUPENDOUS MAN! Da da da da dah da da!"  


A crimson caped figure zoomed down the stairs in mid-air and flew head-first right into Harry and Hermione. Harry whacked his head against the corner of a table, and broke his glasses while doing so.  
Meanwhile, the red superhero pumped a yellow-gloved fist in the air.  


"**S **for Stupendous!  
**T **for Tiger, ferocity of of!  
**U** for Underwear, red!   
**P** for Power, mighty!  
**E** for Excellence, everywhere!  
**N** for Nothing, gets past him!  
**D** for Doctors, who help those who get in his way!  
**O** for, er, Awesome, no wait, that's an "A", um, for Outstanding!  
**U** for, um, why couldn't I have picked Superman, er, Ultra, cool!  
**S** for Superhero!"  


"Calvin?" Harry asked shocked, as he performed the Repairing Spell on his glasses.   


"No," Stupendous Man said, "I am _not_ Calvin, my 15-year old alter-ego, _I_ am STUPENDOUS MANNNNNN!"  


Hermione started laughing.  


"What?" Stupendous Man turned around, "It can't be! My evil arch-nemesis, er, AMAZON GIRL!"  


Stupendous Man pointed a gloved hand at Hermione, muttered, "_Zap!_" and she changed into a green-caped outfit, similar to Stupendous Man's, but without the hood.  


"Um, er, okay..." Amazon Girl said, "Oh, er, Harry? Help me think of a line...I'm not good under pressure..."  


Stupendous Man turned around, "Why, yes! It's," he performed the Transmogrifer Spell again, "LIGHTNING! My good partner in crimefighting!"  


Harry looked down at his blue costume, with a yellow belt, a yellow lightning logo on his chest, blue lightning on his yellow gloves, and a yellow cape with a blue lightning on it, but no hood.  


"Er, yeah, I'm Lightning! Er, foolish Amazon! Trying to locate, our, er, secret hiding place!"  


Hermione, or Amazon Girl, looked confused. "Oh, yeah, um,"  


"Did you really think that you could defeat Lightning _and_ Stupendous Man, Amazon?" Stupendous Man thundered.  


"Um, er, no." Amazon Girl mumbled.  


Stupendous Man laughed, "Ah ha! I see, evil Amazon! Well no matter," he pointed a gloved hand at Amazon Girl, "_Stupefy!_"  


Amazon Girl, quickly moved out of the way, and rolled on the floor, using a sofa as cover. She stood up, Harry or Lightning, pointed at her with his hand, "Um, _Expelliarmus_?"  


Amazon Girl was knocked back on the floor, but no wand came. Lightning supposed she didn't have her wand when she transformed, or he stared at his hand, which itched funnily, maybe it was Transmogrified into the hand?   


"Great job Lightning!" Stupendous Man bellowed, "Now we can transform back into our normal selves!"  


With that Stupendous Man yelled out "_Azap!_" and Harry looked down and saw his normal school robes and his wand in his right hand. He gave a sigh of relief and looked at Calvin who was standing there grinning. Hermione then got up, and climbed over the sofa.

  
"What in the name of Merlin's beard was that for Calvin?"  


"Fun," Calvin answered shrugging, "At Salem we always had Superhero battles, and I was either Spiff, a dinosaur, Safari Al, Tracer Bullet or Stupendous Man. Old Stupendous here is my favorite."  


"Well," Harry said, "That was certainly new, we'll have to try that again. How 'bout two weeks from now, after Quidditch?"  


"Spiffy!" Calvin answered grinning broadly.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	16. Spiffy!

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Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Sixteen-Spiffy!  
**Author's Note: Don't think I'll get the trilogy done before Book Five comes out. Thanks for the support, sorry I've been braindead on updating. Keep reading. God bless you and all of your families a lot!**

Right before the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch game two weeks laterr, Lee caught sick and they had to use the second year backup John Hays. Calvin was knocked out early by a Bludger, and when a player is injured you have to play on with-out him, so Hermione had a hard time trying to block every Bludger, but managed to protect enough of them to keep the Gryffindors in the game. Then, John the backup Keeper took a Bludger in the stomach and passed out, leaving Gryffindor without a Keeper, but with a penalty shot. Harry was forced to try and scare off the opposing players by rushing straight towards some of the Chasers and Beaters. Around thirty minutes into the game, Angelina took a Bludger in the jaw that Hermione had barely missed, as she had just hit one all the way on the other end of the field. Harry sighed, at least their next game wouldn't be for five months, he wondered vaguely who'd done the schedule.  


The Gryffindors now had one Beater, two Chasers, and a Seeker.  
As the game went on Hufflepuff racked up a huge score. After only several long hours of play the score was Hufflepuff 1770, Gryffindor 1000. However, miraculously, Harry had managed to keep the new Hufflepuff Seeker, some fourth-year girl named Icicle Snow, away from the Snitch. Harry finally called a time-out, he had an idea.  


"OK, Herm," Harry pointed at Hermione in the huddle, and she nodded. "Go for their Seeker, Ice and Snow, or something like that, OK? If we can get her out of this the game's a cinch."  


Hermione nodded, looking a little uncomfortable with having to "try to hurt somebody," until Alicia pointed out that they were doing the same to Harry and the Chasers, which was certianly true, Harry felt that he was going to get a neck cramp from ducking so many Bludgers.

  
Hermione nodded.  


In the first few minutes after the meeting, Hermione was zooming the field as if possessed. Icicle was forced to move in all directions as Hermione tried to hit her with Bludger she blocked right before it would have nailed Alicia. Meanwhile, the Hufflepuffs still were running up the score, but after Hermionre sent a Bludger in the direction of the Hufflepuff Seeker, Icicle ducked right when a Chaser was right behind her, and WHAM! Out cold. One less Hufflepuff.   


Harry was beginning to squint because of the sunset, and Ron, who was doing the commentary was sounding drowsy, he had been speaking for four and a half solid and was hourse. Looking for the gold Snitch was impossible in the orange and purple sunset. If Harry hadn't been playing a Quidditch game, he would have rather enjoyed it.   


Around this point Hermione managed to knock out a Hufflepuff Beater, making the game more fair. Still Hufflepuff was winning 3,190 to 2,260. Nearly a thousand point difference. If these points went down for the House Cup...Harry shuddered. Hufflepuff'd be unstoppable.  
Harry silently cheered on Hermione as she continued her fight against the Bludgers, and the lone Hufflepuff Beater was not as skillful as Hermione by herself, and little by little the Gryffindors began to make up the deficet.   


Hours passed, and Harry still hadn't seen the Snitch. It was midnight, and most of the spectators had fallen asleep or gone to their dorms. Dumbledore and McGonagall were talking about ending the match. Harry figured that would be the best, in order for him to see the walnut sized Golden Snitch would take a miracle. Hermione had managed to take out another Hufflepuff Chaser about an hour agao, and then had nearly fallen asleep on her broom.  


Harry sighed. The score was Hufflepuff 5,670-Gryffindor 5,620. The lack of Hufflepuff Chasers had enabled the Gryffindors to make up a good portion of their losses. Harry sniggered as he got the eye of a student who had eariler waved red and gold flags and cheered himself near exhaustion, one Colin Creevey, get up, lighting his wand to help him find the way.  


Suddenly, Harry saw the Snitch. It was right in the patch of light coming from Colin's wand. Harry dove. Icicle, who was on the other side of the field hardly could see him and stayed on her broom to avoid the Bludgers Hermione was sending her way.

"Colin!" Harry bellowed.

Colin looked up, quizzically.

  
"Don't move!" Harry continued his dive. The Snitch was fluttering it's wings right in the middle of the light, he came up alongside of it, and... snagged it! He let out a whoop of joy and did a loop in excitement. The Gryffindors had won! They'd won! They'd won!

  
It took awhile for everything to get sorted out. Apparantly Dumbledore and McGonagall had been about to call of the match when Harry had captured the Snitch, and they weren't exactly sure what had happened at first. Eventually, everything was sorted out, and Ron was woken up so he could yell out the final score over the megaphone, "GRYFFINDOR 5,770, HUFFLEPUFF 5,670!"

  
As the team dismounted, Harry high-fived all of the members of the team, and congratulated them on their hard work and preserverence. Katie Bell yawned in the middle of the speech and told Harry to hurry up with his speech so they could get to their warm beds.  


After Harry finished his spiel, which had high praise for Hermione and the Chasers, he dismissed them.  


When they were gone, Harry hugged Hermione tightly and kissed her. 

"Great job, Herm. You did great out there."  


Hermione nodded, grinned broadly and she kissed Harry again.  


Back in his dorm, Harry was greeted by Calvin who waved at him, as well as Hobbes.  


"Hey," Hobbes said beckoning him over, "Great game. Way to go."  


Harry slapped Hobbes' paw. "Hey, what's going on?"  


Calvin rolled his eyes, and then winced. It made the bruise on his forehead hurt, apparantly.  


"Remember, we were going to have another superhero battle?"  


Harry nodded, but yawned. "C-Can't we do it tomorrow?"  


Hobbes shook his furry head, "Sorry old chap. Now, hold on a minute. _Accio Hermione!_"  


Harry distinctly heard screaming from the girls' dorms and a few seconds later heard a loud CRASH! as Hermione Granger, clad in her flannel pyjamas smashed through the door into the boy's dorm.   


"What in the name of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin is going on?" Hermione yelled, rubbing her head vigoriously as that was were she had smacked into the door. Harry couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was when mad.  


"Hello there Hermione." Hobbes said.  


"Hobbes?!" Hermione jerked her head up in surprise, and Harry had to resist the temptation go over and kiss her. "Am I in detention?"   


Hobbes sniggered, "Of course not. Just here for another superhero battle."  


Hermione nodded, "Me and Harry against you two?"

  
"Er," Hobbes shook his head, "Ron'll be a hero as well."

Calvin nodded, and walked over to Ron's bed were he snoring as loud as a buzzsaw, "_Enervate._"  


Ron woke up and yawned, "What the heck?"  


Calvin smiled evilly, "Ronniekins..."  


"Fred, George?" Ron asked hopefully.  


"'Fraid not," Calvin answered, "We're your worst nightmares. _Zapmulia!_"  


Lightning looked down at his supersuit. He had to admit it was cool. He looked over at Amazon Girl in her green suit, then he stared at Fireball, wearing a grotesque color of orange with a hood and cape like Stupendous Man's. Tigerdude, looked like a normal tiger save for his green and white jams, (A/N: Yeah, yeah, you were right, girls flip for jams. Stop winking at me _-Calvin_), and black cape.  


"OK," Stupendous Man began, "Your wand's powers have been embedded in your right hand, so use it as you would a wand. Meanwhile, I suggest we escape to the common room."  


Amazon Girl shrugged, "And this is supposed to be fun, how?"  


Stupendous Man glared at her, "All right foolish Amazon, Hobbes I say let's make this a little Spiffy instead, what do you say?"  


Hobbes nodded and whispered an incantation.  
  
_Where in Heaven's name am I?_ Harry Potter thought as he looked out at the purplish landscape of canyons and ledges. In the sky two crescent moons with a ring were positioned overhead and the stars shone brightly.

  
_Am I on another planet? _At that moment Harry looked down at his were his superhero suit should have been. Instead, he was wearing a uniform straight out of Flash Gordon. Harry touched his face to see if anything was there. Nothing, that's good. _  
_

Might as well take my blaster, Harry figured and he did so. Harry sniggered at the thought of Ron trying to figure out how to use the weapon. Harry looked around him, careful for a trick. He now devoutly wished he was a superhero, at least he'd had a wand, er wandhand. Might as well try out his right hand, maybe the powers were still there, he pointed it at a rock and tried to Levitate it. No response. Harry swore.

  
As Harry looked up, now fingering the blaster as if his life depended on it, he saw a red star. No, it was coming closer, and closer. And, Harry began running in the opposite direction, as a red compact spacecraft, complete with front headlights and bubble-top smashed with a loud CLANG! into the rocky planet surface.  


The top opened up, and Calvin climbed out. Calvin had on a blue suit similar to Harry's and some goggles that looked like a black block with eyeholes that were continually changing as Calvin looked around.  


"Calvin, what in the name of the Hogwarts Four is going on here?" Harry yelled out. Calvin smiled his triangle smiled and winked.  


"I'm not Calvin anymore Mr. Potter, the name is **_Spaceman Spiff_**!"  


Harry heard loud laughing from behind a rather large rock and jogged over to it. Hermione was laughing so hard that she was having trouble breathing.  


"What's the matter?" Calvin-Spiff said indignatly, drawing him up to his full height.  


"What-what-kinda a name is-is Spiff?" Hermione wheezed, then exploded into laughter again.  


Calvin-Spiff looked mildly annoyed, then grew more annoyed as Hermione's infectious laughter made Harry start laughing as well.  


"OK," Spiff said, "You two rookies and I are Team Alpha. Hobbes and Ron make up Team Omega. Your goal is to zap the other team with your blasters, got that?"  


"Question from Harry," Harry raised his hand.  


"Yes?" Spiff asked.  


"Why the heck are we doing this, we should be asleep."  


Hermione smiled at Harry, "Oh come off it Harry Potter, you've snuck out of bed to break rules probably more then your father did."  


Harry chuckled, "Me? Innocent rule-loving me? Worse then my father? Give me a break."  


Hermione rolled her eyes. "OK, Spiffy old chap, let's go."  


Harry drew out his blaster and then heard a whirring sound, followed by another one and felt Spiff tackle him.  


"Calvin! What are you doing?"  


Spiff leapt off of Harry and grumbled a "Stay down!" as he fired his blaster, and then ducked behind the rock.  


"What's going on?" Harry mumbled rubbing his head were he'd banged it against a rock.  


"We're fighting. Hobbes and Ron, are over the ledge. We've got to hit them."  


Harry was astounded, "Will they die?"  


"No," Spiff answered as he got up and fired again, "Got Ron!"  


Then a bolt of yellow light smacked into Spiff's chest and he disappeared. Harry shook his head and blinked, Spiff was gone.  


Harry looked down at his blaster, it had a settings area on it, strange ones too...hmmm. After setting it on Shake 'N Bake, Harry stood up from the rock and fired a few bolts at Hobbes, who also was in Flash Gordon appreal.

  
Harry ducked a few shots and then sprinted over to the pile of rocks Hermione was using for cover. He dove at the last second for the cover just as a laser would have killed (he still wasn't sure what would happen) him. He tried to execute a somersault on the ground as he landed, so he wouldn't hit his head again, and failed. This time, however, it was his boot that cracked against the granite.  


Meanwhile, Hermione was fighting, but having never shot a gun before (not like Harry had), she missed her shots badly, and Hobbes' shots pounded against the rock or skimmed past her ear.  


"OK Hermi," Harry said, after they had missed Hobbes again and hid behind the rock again, "I'll shoot and draw his fire, and let it hit me. Then you come up and fire right before I get hit."

  
"But Harry-"  


Harry cut her off, "It's not like I'll _die_," or so he hoped, "Just do it."

  
Hermione nodded tight-lipped, and fingered the trigger on her blaster, 

"Go."  


Harry rose up and fire a shot way off, four feet away from Hobbes. Hobbes' return fire hit Harry dead in the nose, but before he blacked out, he saw Hermione jump up and fire.  
  
"Uggggggh," was all Harry could say as he rose up from the floor of the common room. Ron and Calvin were already there standing up, and then Harry heard two _thawks_, as Hermione and Hobbes' bodies fell from right into the middle of the common room.  


Harry slowly got up to his feet, and noticed his wand was back in his hand and he was back in his pyjamas.   


"Who won?" he groaned, feeling some pain in his abdomen region where he had apparantly hit the common room floor. Hermione rolled over and contorted her face in a look of pain, and then slowly sat up, 

"We did," she gasped out, wheezing for breath, and this time not from laughter.  


Hobbes bounded up, with the skill of someone who had done this before, "Yeah, good strategy Harold."  


Harry looked daggers at Hobbes, "My name is _not_ Harold. My parents named me _Harry_ not _Harold_, got it?"  


Hobbes grinned, "OK, Harold."  


Harry clenched his teeth, he would _not_ make a scene in front of Hermione, he would _not_, he would _not_, he would _not_.

  
"Anyway," Hobbes said, "Time for bed, you all go up to your dorms."  


Ron and Calvin quickly nodded, and Hobbes walked out the portait of the Fat Lady, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione and kissed her. As they were kissing, Harry continued to wonder if he loved her. Did he love Hermione? It wanted to tell her, but what if he didn't?  


When the kiss finished, Harry felt more then satisfied, "Good night," he said, kissing her again.  


Harry went up to his bedroom and slept like a baby.


	17. The Alternator

HPCH17

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Seventeen-The Alternator  
**Note: Oh dear God. What a mess on Tuesday. I pray for those affected by this. May our country stayed united in this terrible tradegy. God bless you all indeed! Hope you like the chapter.**  


The next few weeks passed by fairly quickly, although, Harry who was working on Hermione's study schedule wondered how in the world she ever had any energy. Not that her schedule didn't have it's own good effects. On a Charms pop quiz Hermione and Harry were the only ones who knew all the answers and Harry found himself breezing right through his courses. One day Professor McGonagall took him aside and told him that if his scores were as high as they had been the last few weeks, then for sure he'd get Head Boy in his seventh year.  
Meanwhile, Hermione was getting her first break on the S.P.E.W. front. After Dumbledore signed up, hundreds of students were clamoring for badges. They had now become a status symbol, and Hermione figured that in a few more days they'd have enough money to began passing out flyers. When Ron asked were they were going to send the flyers, Hermione concussed him with her Twigged 150.  
The Get Rid Of Slimy girlS Club was also in full swing, as since neither Fred nor George were out of the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey would only say they were , Calvin and Hobbes were taking control of all Pranks and Mischief In General.  
For example, Hobbes placed practical jokes all through Professor Binns' dull History of Magic class, and it livened up the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth years when they walked in. Then, Calvin sent Draco Malfoy a different part of a toilet each day, culminating with the toilet seat.  
Still, Harry found himself wishing he could go to Hogsmeade, but ever since Voldemort had unleashed the Fifth Curse there it was a wreck. Harry was also worried that he hadn't seen either his parents or Voldemort in dreams or after passing out.   
Viktor Krum's ghost was also becoming a small sort of attraction as he was often flying on a broom doing daredevil tricks to impress the first years in the Great Hall.  
Basically, things were great.  
As the day for the dance approached, Harry began getting nervous. What if he messed up in front of Hermione? Harry didn't think that he could stand the embarrassment of messing up in front of Hermione. He began to wonder again if he loved her and heard Hermione's words echoing in his head about Ron, And then he said that he loved me, which I highly doubt as we're fifteen for Heaven's sake!  
Ron, meanwhile, wouldn't shut about how he was going to dance with his girlfriend, Cho. Cho, this? Cho, that? Will Cho like my new maroon dress robes Fred and George got me? Harry, you know Cho, right? What should I do?  
Calvin, meanwhile, asked Ginny to the dance surprising everyone, including himself. Ginny accepted of course, and seemed to enjoy it. A few first years tried to raise a vote of impeachment over this at the next G.R.O.S.S. meeting, but Hobbes came to rescue with a temporary insanity plea, which later got Calvin jinxed several times by Ginny.  
Calvin said, as he accidently knocked his hand against the wall, Man, I've got to stop hitting my hand against the wall! Madam Pomfrey says your fingers are really sore after their reattached, and she was dang right!  
Hermione asked, bemused.  
Cavin said calmly while shaking his hand,   
Hermione smiled, That's what you get for claiming that you don't really want to go out with Ginny.  
That's the thing, Calvin said, still waving his hand like a maniac, Why did I ask her to the dance? I don't think I wanted to. Maybe Malfoy put a hex on me.  
Harry sniggered. Ron who standing nearby shuffling some Exploding Snap cards rolled his eyes, So you didn't mean to ask her out?  
Calvin exclaimed, I mean she's cute and all, but I like Lavender!  
Hermione grinned, Wait'll Lav hears that!  
Calvin moaned, Oh, c'mon Hermione! Have a heart! I was going to ask Lavender right? Then all of a sudden I felt this extreme calm, and voice told me to ask Ginny! So I did!  
As Calvin looked around he saw three shocked and very pale faces, What's the matter with that?  
Er, Calvin, Ron stammered,   
The signs of the Imperious Curse, Hermione finished knowledgeably.  
How would you know? Calvin asked frightened.  
We've all been put under it, Harry explained, But why in the world would they want Calvin to be put under the curse to ask Ginny to the dance.  
Hermione snapped her fingers, Of course! Think about it! There's going to be trouble at the dance! And Calvin's in mortal peril because he had the curse put on him?  
So what does that mean? Ron bawled, (A/N: bawled can been yelled, or something like that, Ron is _not_ crying) incredulously, Ginny is a Death Eater?!  
Calvin muttered, You guys take all of this mortal peril' pretty easily.  
Harry chuckled lightly, When you've faced it as many times as we have, it does it pretty boring.  
Calvin rolled his eyes, Well this is new to me, so can we please get some help? Or I'll sic Hobbes on you. Mandibles of death, y'know.  
That's go over well, Ron smirked, 'Tiger Set On Boy Who Lived By Yankee Student! Tiger Was Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher', by Rita Skeeter.   
They all sniggered, but they held in most of their laughter. They were after all probably in imminent danger.  
Now what? Calvin asked.  
Hermione shrugged, We have to tell Dumbledore, but still... Hermione's voice trailed off, Your stuck with Ginny.  
Calvin nodded, In any event, we've got to see Dumbledore.  
  
Albus Dumbledore chuckled and twinkled in bright blue eyes at Calvin and the gang when he told of his predicament. Probably not an Imperious, Mr. Arrow. Our Protectorate, Mr. Krum, has befriended Peeves. What he has done is set some Mind Reversal Spells in some areas of the castle. They switch your feelings with someone else's for one act, that you perform, save harming someone and the like. In this case, you were switched with someone who had just made up their mind to ask Miss Weasley to the ball. I believe Sirius and Remus set off several of these around the castle in their seventh year, but to a greater degree before the prom. As I recall Severus asked Professor McGonagall to the dance in Transfiguration, when I had meant to, and I asked a seventh year Slytherin.  
The entire group, including Dumbledore broke out into peals of laughter.  
W-What happened? Ron choked out, wheezing.  
Fortunately for me, Dumbledore continued with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes, She declined, and I later apologized after realizing what happened. As for Severus, Minerva figured that it was a joke, and to teach him a lesson, went along with it. Severus was forced to dance with the teacher he hated most at school. Minerva then let him go after the first dance, luckily for him and his reputation as I Hate All Gryffindors' Snape.  
Harry took off his glasses and wiped the tears from his eyes, he had gained from laughing so hard, S-s-so, it's no big deal?  
Dumbledore nodded, I also suggest that you don't tell Miss Weasley, I fear she might not take it very well.  
Calvin grinned and nodded.  
  
The day of the Winter Ball, Harry was more nervous then ever. He tried to stay in the common room and play wizard chess with Ron, even Hermione had taken a day off from studying, she said she couldn't concentrate much either. Ron seemed nervous as well, he lost to Harry twenty-six straight games and some of the younger Gryffindors tried to kid him about it, but to no avail.  
Time crawled by, but eventually it was time for the dance and Harry went into the prefect's bathroom for a warm bath filled with tons of scented water, and then dressed into the new green dress robes he had picked up at Diagon Alley, as his other ones were too small.  
Harry had a terrific fight with his hair, and managed to mat it down a little, but not much. He hoped Hermione would be forgiving about that, and then grinned. He knew she would. Herm wasn't the kind to dump somebody over hair. Even with her interest in Quidditch, Hermione Granger's persona hadn't changed much.  
As he walked out into the common room, he ran into Lavender, who Harry admitted in spite of himself looked pretty wearing rose colored robes rather then her usual lavender.   
Who're going with? Harry asked, interested as he wanted to know who Calvin had switched minds with.  
Lavender blushed, Well, he's not in our house. I'll tell you that. It sort of surprised me, really. You know him.  
Harry nodded, Where's Hermione?  
Lavender grinned, She's already downstairs, and Harry, she's a knockout! Wait'll you see her!  
Harry smiled broadly, She always is a knockout. I guess I better get down.  
Lavender nodded, Better hurry Harry, before every boy in Hogwarts is after her!  
Harry flashed her a thumbs-up and scurried out the portrait hole.  
When Harry came down to the Great Hall, Harry looked around for Hermione. He couldn't see her. He walked around the Hall a few times but couldn't find her. Then he felt someone tap on his shoulder.  
Hold on, Harry said, waving the person away, I'm looking for Hermione.  
Who do think this is, Millicent Bulstrode? Hermione's voice answered from behind him.  
Harry turned around and nearly fainted dead away. It was Hermione, but she looked even more ravishing then she had at last year's Yule Ball. Her blue dress robes went perfect with her brown hair, which she had tied back into a bun.  
Earth to Harry. Earth to Harry. Harry heard a voice beside him call out, seemingly far away.  
Harry turned away from Hermione and felt his face heat, Hermione went a shade of pink as well. What is it Ron?  
Ron just pointed at the entrance to the Great Hall where two people just walked in, one was Lavender who looked just as she had in the common room, carrying..._Draco Malfoy_ on her arm.  
Harry was flabbergasted, You mean, _Draco_ wanted to ask your sister out?  
Ron grinned, Probably just as a joke, I hope at least, but Lav certainly was flattered, and accepted. Poor Malfoy, now he can't back out. Lavender been talking his ear off ever since he picked her up. He keeps grimacing every time she opens her mouth.  
Harry was about to open his mouth to speak when Calvin walked in. Hey! Wands Crossed! Check it out Hobbes!  
Hermione asked.  
Calvin pointed up at the bandstand, Wands Crossed, you know the American wizard band I was telling you about. Calvin took his gaze off the band, and stared at Lavender and Draco. Oy! Is that Lavender with _Malfoy_?  
Hobbes flashed a tiger-grin, Elementary my dear Calvin. I can't believe Albus got Wands Crossed. Hobbes shook his head.  
When Hobbes mentioned Dumbledore as they all remembered that Hobbes was a teacher as well as he was wearing plain black robes, like a teacher.  
Ron said, Are you going to hang out at the teacher's table?  
Hobbes shook his head and smiled. Heaven forbid. Snape keeps irritating me for being a tiger, and how I'm unprofessional'. When I pointed out more people like my class then his, he looked ready to _Avada Kedavra_ me in front of everyone.  
Harry grinned, and then Dumbledore stepped up to the podium, Good evening, and welcome to the first annual Winter Ball. Due the destruction of Hogsmeade making your Hogsmeade trips impossible, we've decided to create another one of these dances at the end of the year, as well as two Diagon Alley trips. The first one being next month. Enjoy the dance!  
With that Wands Crossed began pounding out a fast American song, Kissing Charm, and the entire Hall began fast dancing to the rhythm.  
Well Lady Hermione? Harry grinned, Shall we dance?  
Elementary my dear Potter, Hermione answered back, mimicking Hobbes, and they began to dance.  
The dancing went on for hours, and Harry was especially enjoying the slow dances with Hermione laying her head on his chest. They were in the middle of one of these when Ron rushed into the Hall, no one had even known he'd left, with blood streaming down his face and robes. Cho was also there looking quite similar, and the music stopped. Harry reluctantly let Hermione move her head and pull out of his grasp.  
Ron was the first to speak, Harry, Herm-own-ninny-ninny, he fainted and hit the floor, and Cho managed to speak. Dracoooo, and Cal-cal-vin. The lake, hurry. With that she hit the ground as well.  
Nodding, Harry and Hermione ran out as though the fires of the underworld were after them. Dumbledore and the other teachers cared for Ron and Cho, having not understood what they had said.  
In reality, Harry and Hermione didn't understand it either. Harry figured that something must have happened to Calvin and Malfoy and they were in danger. Maybe Calvin _had_ been under the Imperious Curse! Personally, Harry would have let Malfoy rot, but he was not going to let whatever Dark powers where after his friend to kill him.  
As Harry and Hermione arrived panting at the lake, they realized they were still holding hands and separated them out of necessity. Harry whipped his wand out from the inside of his robes and Hermione did likewise. What they saw was almost amusing. Calvin had apparently worked some Transmogrifying Spells and altered the lake side into planet-like terrain. There were also three Calvin's, one dressed as a detective, one as Spiff, and one as Stupendous Man. Malfoy had done a Height Charm on himself, and was now twenty feet tall brandishing a wand in each hand.  
So, Cally boy. Ready to fight like a man, far and square?  
All three Calvins had different answers. Harry was confused until Hermione explained, Duplicator Charm. Creates duplicates of yourself or other objects. The magic word is _Boink_ (A/N: Ta-da! This explains Calvin's Duplicator and Transmogrifer, and yes for those Time Machine fanatics, it'll get some space as well.).  
Harry nodded, I wonder what this is about.  
Hermione shrugged.  
You've challenged me to a duel over asking Ginny to the dance, Then you multiplied your height by four, and send curses at Ron and Cho, who were trying to break this up. Personally, that's cowardly, and I won't fight a coward.-Detective  
You are absolutely mad.-Spiff  
STUPENDOUS MAN DA-DUM-DA-DUM-DA-DUM!-Guess.  
Oh really? Malfoy barked, his voice enlarged as well.  
Hermione said, Stunners on Malfoy at the count of one.  
Harry nodded.  
ONE! _STUPEFY!_ Harry and Hermione chorused, bellowing out the words.  
The giant Malfoy stuttered for a second, and then collapsed. The three Calvins all looked at Harry and Hermione and grinned. The detective Calvin muttered, _Aboink. Azap._ under his breath and the scene returned to normal, Malfoy however, stayed huge. Calvin walked over to them.  
How are Ron and Cho?  
Their back in the Great Hall, I think they'll be all right. They just were bloody.  
Calvin sighed and shook his head, Why in the name of Heaven wasn't he expelled when he used _Avada Kedavra_ on Hobbes?  
Hermione shrugged, He was Confounded, a Confounded person has no idea what's going on. He probably was Confounded again.  
Calvin rolled his eyes, Or just plain nuts.  
Harry grinned, Yeah, that's more'n a possibility.  
Anyway, I'll get back to the Hall, you guys watch Malfoy, Calvin said, He won't come around for a while I s'pose, but you never know.  
Harry and Hermione nodded, and sat down on the grass watching the lake and looking at the stars.  
Harry fidgeted, They should put a bench here, this is uncomfortable. Harry paused, then, I'm sitting on something. Harry moved a little and picked up the offending object.  
Looks like a cigarette lighter, Hermione commented.  
Harry nodded, Funny thing too, I've never seen one iridescent green like this with green metal on the top.  
Hermione shrugged, Toss it here,  
Harry moved next to her, took a quick look at the twenty-four foot tall Malfoy still unconscious, and handed Hermione the lighter.  
Good grief, Hermione trilled, Look at this!  
Harry looked at where Hermione was pointing on the lighter, and stared, _Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Flower Inc. Copyleft 1984._  
Who's Harry wondered aloud.  
Hermione sniggered lightly, Your hopeless Harry, Flower' was probably your mum.  
Harry slapped his forehead, he should've known _that_.  
Hand me the Harry asked, and Hermione did. Harry wasn't so sure it was a lighter if the Marauders had created it.  
Let's test it, shall we? Harry asked, fingering the lighter.  
Harry, I'm not sure if that's such a-  
Harry flicked the lighter on and a small green flame erupted from it.  
Harry and Hermione's eyes widened, Harry began, It was just a-  
The green flame slowly enveloped them.  
  
Harry found himself in a green room, Hermione was next to him and he reflexively put his arm around her.  
Where are we? Harry asked quietly.  
Hermione shook her head, I dunno, it might be an-  
came the booming voice of Sirius Black, _My name is Padfoot._  
came the quiet, squeaky voice of young Peter Pettigrew, _My name is Wormtail_.  
came the authoritative voice of Remus Lupin, _The name is Moony._  
_Good evening,_ came the voice Harry had only heard twice, when the dementors haunted him in third year, and last year from Voldemort's wand, _My name is Prongs._  
Harry said softly.  
Harry knew what was coming next, _Hello there,_ came the voice of Lily Potter, _I am Flower._  
Harry felt tears coming to his head, and Hermione, sensing this put her head on his shoulder.  
all the voices proclaimed at once, _Are the Marauders. Welcome to the Marauders Alternator. You two are Harry James Potter, and Hermione Elizabeth Granger, are you not?_  
We are, Harry and Hermione answered.  
_Hey, Prongsie,_ the voice of Sirius Black came out, _Your and Lily's son, I bet ten Sickles that's who this Harry Potter'll be!_  
_Shut up, Padfoot, this is the absolute last time we make a perfect recreation of you in our stuff,_ James Potter answered, _In any event, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger, what do you want to know?_  
Harry answered.  
Remus Lupin's voice came over, _This an Alternator idiot,_ Harry grinned, he wondered what Remus would say if he knew is recreated version of him said that, _You ask us a question like What if the world ended right now?' and we'll answer it._  
Harry answered, OK, Herms, what do you want to know?  
Hermione smiled, not taking her head off Harry's shoulder, Nothing, I'm perfectly content now.  
Harry nodded, All right then, What if Voldemort never killed my parents?'  
Suddenly every thing went black, and Harry felt himself hit solid ground, Slowly he got up, and nearly fainted away. Just a few feet in front of him, on the grass by the lake, Harry saw himself, with no scar, and Hermione _kissing_!  
Hermione started laughing, but not the Hermione kissing Harry. Harry turned and saw Hermione behind him doubled over with laughter.  
What's so funny? Harry asked.  
Hermione gasped, Just the situation.  
Harry nodded and turned back to the other Hermione and him who had now finished their kiss.  
Well, lil' Miss Ravenclaw Prefect, the other Harry joked, How was that?  
Perfectly fine, Mr. Slytherin Seeker, the other Hermione grinned.  
The real Harry stumbled back a little bit, and Hermione caught him. Harry looked at her with haunted eyes, and she returned the gaze.  
Suddenly there was a giggling that emerged from the bush next to where the other Harry and Hermione were standing.  
The other Harry wheeled around, Diane Catherine Potter, show yourself!  
Still giggling, Diane Potter slowly came out of the bush. She looked like Ginny did with black hair and blue eyes, with no glasses. Most certainly a Potter. She would've been Harry's sister, in fact.  
Why aren't you in the Hufflepuff common room? the other Harry said angrily, Your a third year, and third years weren't invited to the annual Yule Dance.  
Diane held firm, Why then Harry are you out here with a Ravenclaw Muggle-born? What'll Draco, Crabbe and Goyle hear about this!  
The other Harry sighed, Look Di, I'm tired of being All-So-Tough Harry Potter, Slytherin Quidditch star, and Snape's teacher's pet. I don't believe in pureblood being higher then no-blood. I nearly died when the Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin, but oh well. I mean, what's the big deal, I dated that Gryffindor Chaser last year, Virginia Weasley.  
The other Hermione rolled her eyes, Virgina...I know her, you went out with her?  
Harry nodded, Yeah, for a few weeks, but after I kissed her...well she left me alone.  
The other Hermione feigned shock, So I'm not your first kiss?  
Far from it, Diane grinned, In third year he went out with another Slytherin, that beautiful Eilose Midgen.  
Oh yeah, Harry countered to Diane, What about you and Colin Creevey, he's too old for you!  
One year, yeah, big brother, that's it, Diane rolled her eyes.  
Both Hermiones grinned.  
The other Hermione spoke up, Anyway, your not mine either. I went out with that Gryffindor git Ron Weasley for a few Hogsmeade dates. He's such a coward.  
Both Harrys smiled.  
Anyway Di, don't let Professor Lupin or Black catch you out at night. I mean, Lupin'll put you through heck in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Black's a tough Arthimancy teacher.  
Diane flashed another grin, Don't let Headmaster and Headmistriss Potter get you, brother. Or Minister Dumbledore, I believe he's here tonight?  
Hermione nodded, Yeah, the man who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named two years ago. He already was famous, and now he's even more famous. He's amazing.  
Harry nodded, So Di, you ever gonna leave?  
Oh sure big brother, no problem. But only if you two return to the dance, or I'll stay here for the rest of tonight.  
The alternate Harry nodded, Fine, we'll go back, then he leaned into Hermione's ear and whispered, Let's see if we can't get back out here tomorrow.  
The alternative Hermione smiled, and all three got up and left.  
With that Harry and Hermione heard Lily Potter's voice in their ears, _Time to get back dears..._  
Harry and Hermione hit the ground again, but this time they were next to the ten times two sized Malfoy, and Harry held the Alternator in his hand. Harry sat up and started playing with the Alternator by twirling it over in his hands. Hermione slid over and put her arm around him, I'm sorry.  
Harry nodded, I just don't get it. Voldemort would be gone, Dumbledore, Minister of Magic. My mum and dad leading the school. A sister- Harry's voice cracked here, and Hermione hugged Harry tightly, and the tears started spreading down his face.  
Why Hermione? Why did Voldemort have to kill them. I wouldn't have killed Voldemort, and that's what he was afraid of...my sister won't be here because of that...Voldemort's worries. I mean I wouldn't like being in Slytherin, but I'd be normal, still a Seeker. I'd still have you...  
I dunno Harry, Hermione whispered in his ear, I just don't know.  
Harry continued on, And everybody was so happy...  
Hermione smiled,Yeah, but Ron was a git.  
Harry nearly smiled, And by your own admission too.   
You asked for it Potter, Hermione said, and started tickling Harry, treating him sort of like a sister might. So Harry laughed and cried at the same time. Hermione was his best friend, and his girlfriend. There wasn't a better match in the world.  
After Hermione stopped, Harry's voice broke again, I could've had a family...  
Hermione sighed, I have a good mind to kill Remus and Sirius over making this thing because it's caused you so much grief. What's done is done Harry, don't worry about it.  
Harry leaned his head on her shoulder again. It felt so comforting there. I know, but it's natural to wonder isn't it?  
Hermione nodded and kissed Harry's forehead. Then his lips.


	18. Jurassic Parking

HP and the KatT Ch 18

**Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
******Chapter Eighteen-Jurassic Parking  
  
Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ isn't mine it's J.K. Rowling's and Warner Brothers. _Calvin and Hobbes_ isn't mine, it's Bill Watterson's and Universal Press Syndicate. All right, now originally Chapter Eighteen was a sad chapter in which Hermione's parents died and so did Uncle Vernon, it was called Like A Phoenix... referring to Hermione rising from the ashes like a phoenix and is adopted by McGonagall. If demand says it I'll post it as an Chapter Eighteen, but as of now, this is a twenty-four chapter story. God bless you and your families indeed! Read, review, and enjoy.  


  
Harry sat down fiddling with a few Gobstones. Could have had a sister. Weird.  
  
Hermione walked up to where Harry was sitting in the middle of the common room, and sat down. It was late at night, a month since the Alternator.   
  
Harry shrugged, I dunno, it's just weird, everything would have been fine, except Ron of course.  
  
Hermione smirked, Of course.  
  
Harry's eyes widened, Sorry, guess I was being selfish.  
Hermione grinned, It's OK, you'll get over it, hmmm?  
Harry nodded, Yeah, I will.  
Hermione pursed her lips thoughtfully, I wonder where Hagrid is...  
Harry shrugged, a bit startled by the change of topic, Probably still negotiating with the giants. We really need them if the dementors have gone over to Voldemort. Harry sighed, he really needed a vacation, preferably away from the wizarding world and all of it's troubles.  
  
Harry heard someone groaning outside the portrait hole. Who in Heaven's name to could that be at this hour? Harry quickly got up and walked to the portrait hole, and was about to open it when Harry heard Hobbes' voice.  
  
Great wizards, Calvin, I don't want to do this! I hate being duplicated or transmogrifed or cerebrally enhanced.  
  
Shut up, Hobbes. After nine years you should know that when the box is opened it's a Time Machine!  
  
Harry and Hermione froze. A Time Machine? Harry had very little experience with time traveling, but he had managed to save the lives of Sirius Black and Hagrid's hippogriff Buckbeak using Hermione's Time-Turner. For the entire year, Hermione had used the Time-Turner to be able to get to all of her classes. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, Hermione dropped enough classes to have a normal schedule at the end of the year.  
  
Their pause gave Calvin and Hobbes enough time to open the portrait hole and walk in carrying an innocuous cardboard box, with the words TIME MACHINE messily written on the side.  
  
Harry asked incredulously, Is a Time Machine?  
  
Calvin and Hobbes sat the box down in the common room and nodded.  
  
Hobbes said, We've used it a few times, nearly got killed though, at this Hobbes looked harshly in the direction of Calvin.  
  
Calvin defended himself, Look, the first time that dinosaur wasn't even a carnivore. The second time that allosaur wasn't my fault. You steered up straight into the Battle of Gettysburg,  
  
And you got nearly me shot, Hobbes pointed out.  
  
Calvin continued ticking off his time-travel escapades that were Hobbes' fault, You nearly got us shot down by the U.S. Army's hypersonic planes when we flew over New York in 2348 A.D. _You_ flew right into Persian Gulf War, and caused _this_, Calvin pointed at a clean bullet hole in the right side of the box.  
  
Harry started laughing, and Calvin and Hobbes whipped their heads around.   
  
You two are hilarious! That was exactly what I needed! Prattling on and on about whose fault it was!  
  
Calvin grinned and rolled his eyes after giving an over exaggerated bow, Thank you! Thank you!  
  
Harry feigned anger and playfully punched Calvin on the shoulder.  
  
Oh, the agony, Potter punched me! Calvin wailed. With that, Ron Weasley walked down the stairs in his Chudley Cannons pyjamas, mumbling to himself, Cripes, I bloody forgot all about the Charms essay due tomorrow, better do it now.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, Oy! Genius, it's not due til _next_ week!  
  
After being on Herm's study schedule, Harry found himself keeping better notes and doing his homework earlier. In fact, he had finished all of his over winter break faster then anyone, except Hermione of course who finished in two days.  
  
Ron snapped to attention, Oh, thanks Harry! Thanks. Blimey, I could have done that entire essay for nothing.  
  
Around then Ron noticed Calvin and Hobbes.  
  
Oy! What's with the box?  
  
Time Machine, Hobbes grunted, obviously not wanting to talk about it.  
  
Ron walked over with interest in his eyes, Where you gonna go?  
  
Hobbes quickly interjected, but Calvin shook him off.  
  
The era of the dinosaurs, you guys want to come?  
  
Harry and Hermione nodded, Ron looked over his apparel, then shrugged and climbed in.   
  
They were all cramped in the cardboard box, although Harry didn't care, he had his arm around Hermione.  
  
Oh jeez, Calvin muttered under his breath, I nearly forgot! _Goggilio!_  
  
With that, all of them were suddenly wearing thick flying goggles.  
  
Uh, Calvin, Ron said, What's with the goggles?  
  
For Merlin's sake! Calvin exclaimed, Ron, this isn't like walking down the street! We have light-speeds and hypersonic vortexes and space-time continuums to deal with! Of course we'll need goggles!  
  
Ron made a motion to get out, but Calvin cuffed him on the arm, Sit down, ickle Ronniekins.  
  
Ron's lips went into a thin line, he absolutely hated it when people said stuff like that to him.  
  
Calvin went on, The dial is set for 160 million years ago, so, AWAY WE GO!  
  
The Time Machine hovered a few feet above the ground for a few moments then zoomed into...  
  
Harry was dizzy, he looked at all the multi-colored patterns of the wormhole they were traveling to. Hobbes was moaning about time-travel makes me queasy, he heard a sound of vomit and then Ron's , and Calvin's You idiot! You just barfed in a wormhole, Heaven knows were that's going to come out! (A/N: And at that moment, Al Gore was narrowly missed getting hit by vomit which apparently came from the sky...)  
  
Ron groaned, He started leaning towards Hermione who immediately pushed him back.  
  
Oh no, you don't! she cried, and Ron threw up again.  
  
Hobbes snorted, Calvin screamed.  
  
Hobbes, it's _not_ funny, he's making us lean and we might pass our gateway and end up in the pre-Big Bang universe!  
  
Harry's curiosity was aroused, What would happen then?  
  
Calvin sighed, and then answered loudly, There'd be no universe, and probably _no time!_ So please shut up and let me drive!  
  
Hobbes called out from the back, Hey, are you sure we're facing for the past?  
  
Calvin was obviously getting irritated, Yes! I'm positive.  
  
Ron moaned.  
  
Hermione leaned back and yelled at Hobbes, You mean if you face the wrong way you go into the future?  
  
Hobbes nodded vigorously, When Calvin was six we tried to go into the next millennium to see what life was like...  
  
Calvin interjected, To swipe something, and then pretend to invent it so we'd get rich.  
  
Hobbes smiled widely, But, our resident genius here, sent us into the year 165 million B.C. instead.  
  
What do you think I had? Calvin retorted, Some sort of Triple-A map for the highways of Time?  
  
Hobbes sniggered, Anyway, that's also how we entered the Battle of Gettysburg, we jumped through the wrong gate on the way to future after we had visited the year Caesar was killed.  
  
Calvin screamed back, That was your fault! I said lean port!  
  
You thought port meant right you git!  
  
By this point, Harry and Hermione were in hysterics, and Ron was smiling slightly through his queasiness. Naturally he then barfed once more.  
  
Ronald Weasley! Calvin exploded, This the last time you _ever_ travel through time with _me!_  
  
Harry was doubled over with laughter.  
  
Calvin yelled, We're leaning too much, stop laughing! Our gateway's coming up sooooooooooon!  
  
WHISH! With a rushing of hot air, Harry looked out and saw rich vegetation everywhere he looked, dinosaurs towered and cowered above strange-colored trees. The air tasted bad, really bad, but Harry Potter wasn't thinking about that right now.  
  
Calvin began to take on the voice of a computerized tour guide.  
  
Welcome to the Jurassic Parking Service. The year is approximately 160 million Before Christ, and this is the rich and fertile continent of North America. Over to your right are tricerotops grazing off of the rich nutrients of this era's plants. To your left are brontosauri, traveling in herds. We will be landing shortly. Please keep all appendages safely inside the Time Machine, and please remember where we are parked.  
  
Sniggering, they all waited until Calvin landed the Time Machine, which rested easily with a mild thump.  
  
Hermione asked, What are we going to do?  
  
Calvin shrugged, Just look around I guess. One time I came here and took some photos of the dinosaurs for _Time_ magazine, but nobody believed me. My parents thought it was a hoax, but as you can see, it plainly wasn't.  
  
Hobbes was looking a little jumpy, What's the matter Hobbes? Hermione inquired politely, as Harry took her hand.  
  
Hobbes sighed, I may have been a great Auror, he answered, But I've had more messes with Calvin then ever before, you see I couldn't use magic around him. We had some real fine crises because of that. Get this, once he built a Duplicator, actually it was just a box, but he said _Zap!_'. You know the magic words.  
  
Calvin quickly pushed Harry to the side.  
  
What was that all about? he asked angrily. Calvin merely pointed at the plant he had nearly stepped on, That's so poisonous, it kills on contact with the skin.  
  
Harry was taken aback, he said hollowly and took Hermione's hand again.  
  
Hobbes continued, His duplicate made four new duplicates! And we couldn't use the Singlecate Counter-Charm either. I mean, those dupes were a mess to handle. We tried splitting up he school week between five duplicates. That didn't work, none of them did the assignments, cause the other one never told the one going the next day what it was! Not to mention all the trouble they'd get into! I was afraid Calvin's parents were going to go insane!  
  
Calvin looked at a small green lizard which waddled past screeching a little bit. Calvin went pale, Let's get out of here.  
  
Four heads turned,   
  
Calvin pointed at the small dinosaur, Ron laughed, Honestly, Calvin. What is a small lizard going to do to us?  
  
Calvin was slowly edging away, That's a compy. (A/N: All readers of _Jurassic Park_ remember these little suckers? ::grins evilly::) Their scavengers, Ron. They'll give you a nasty cut and poison you, and for mine and everyone else's sake, just walk away from it. There's probably a bunch of them lurking around...And we can't use magic in the past, it'll really screw things up.  
  
Oh sure Calvin that's right, Ron replied and walked over towards the creature. Harry took a quizzical look at the animal.  
  
I'll agree with Ron, Harry said.  
  
Hobbes shook his head, Trust me, Calvin's never wrong on this stuff. By age six he'd read every book on dinosaurs available. He knew more then the guides at the Natural History Museum.  
  
Hermione stared at it, _Precompithiod_ or something like?  
  
Calvin nodded, I forget the full Latin name, but Ron, those compys are something to reckon with.  
  
Harry debated this in his mind. If Hermione knew about it,then Calvin was probably right. Plus, Harry had come to trust Hobbes.  
  
Calvin cried out as Ron squatted down next to the green compy,   
  
Ron laughed as the compy cocked it's head as it looked at him. Then with out warning, it jumped for his face sending a deep scratch down the side of his face. Ron then bellowed out something that might've been funny under different circumstances, but wasn't now. As the four rushed over to help the fallen red-head, out of nowhere dozens of compys burst out of the bushes and attacked. Harry and Hermione reacted on pure instinct and they grabbed Ron who was batted the dinosaurs away with his hands, and dragged him away to (partial, at least) safety. The duo then returned to where Calvin and Hobbes were fighting them off with their hands and using their wands as clubs.  
  
Harry yelled, we've got Ron, let's go!  
  
Quickly, Calvin send a compy a fierce blow to the head with his wand, and then ran over to where Ron was lying, following silently was Hobbes.  
  
The compys meanwhile, soon decided that these new creatures were not a very good meal, as they put up too much of a fight. Therefore, they chirped a little to each other, and walked off, much to the gang's relief.  
  
Will he live? Harry asked nervously.  
  
Calvin bent over to examine the cut, Well, the older you are the better your chances of survival are when you face a compy. Also, he must the most amazing reflexes in order to have pulled back so fast.  
  
Harry distinctly heard Hermione mutter under breath, Lucky git. I'll kill him when we get back.  
  
Harry grinned and put an arm around her and whispered in her ear, I'll help you.  
Hermione smiled, All right then.  
  
Calvin hit Ron a few times lightly across the face until he groggily woke up.  
  
Wha' happened?  
  
What happened, you git, Hermione answered, Was you tried to be friendly with a compy who could've killed you! You got a cut on your face, at this Ron touched his hand to his bloody scratch, And you pulled away before it got too deep and you fainted. We saved your worthless hide.  
  
Ron sighed, Sorry guys.  
  
Calvin was more worried about his patient' then anything else right now, Can you walk?  
  
Unsteadily, Ron got up, he shook a little bit and proclaimed himself fine. Calvin let out a breath. You're lucky, you could just as easily have been really weak, maybe comaed, if he'd scratched you enough and gotten about a quarter-inch, or should I say a few centimeters deeper.  
  
Ron shuddered slightly, Well, now where to?  
  
Hobbes answered at once.  
  
Ah, Hobbes old buddy, where's your sense of adventure- Calvin broke off his sentence because one Harry Potter was collapsing towards the Jurassic ground, his scar gone.  
  
_Harry knew what to expect, either his mother or father would be there, he was, partially right.  
  
Standing there, with his mother and father was Cedric Diggory.  
  
Harry wondered aloud. Cedric nodded. But why?  
  
James Potter cut in, We've been watching you and Voldemort. Things are gearing up for another attack. The reason Voldemort hasn't used the Fifth Curse again is because it drains the power of the wand that fires it, and he doesn't trust any of his Death Eaters to do it. He'll be completely recharged soon enough. Maybe two more months.  
  
the melodic voice of Lily Potter broke through Harry's mind, Harry, don't dwell on the sister you could have had. Or the times you could have had. Or what we could have done. Don't worry about the I'm related to. Dwell on the friends you have now, in this timeline.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
Cedric's voice broke in, Harry, I'm here for another reason. Stay close to Calvin, Hobbes, Hermione, and Ron. Be careful, all right? Don't worry about anything. Just-just Harry avenge my death. Your parent's deaths, and the Ministry. I know you all will defeat Voldemort. Remember us, Harry. Remember.  
  
Harry solemnly nodded.  
  
_  
  
Calvin jumped back, and Hermione helped Harry sit up. Harry was vaguely aware of everyone looking at him. Hermione put her arm around Harry. Hobbes' eyes were wide with fear. Ron was completely pale. Calvin just looked plain freaked.  
  
Hermione whispered, Your scar disappeared, did you see your parents?  
  
Harry nodded, And-and Cedric...Diggory.  
  
Hobbes' eyes went wider if that was possible. The kid who died last year. From Hufflepuff, right?  
  
Harry said, Hufflepuff, and it was my fault.  
  
What did they say? Hobbes asked.  
  
Harry thought, My dad told me Voldemort, Ron gasped, Was gearing up to attack another place with the Fifth Curse, like Hogsmeade.  
  
Calvin went whiter then anyone, and had someone not seen him alive a second before, they would have sworn he was a ghost.  
  
Harry continued, Mum told me not to worry and Cedric to stay with you guys. And, Harry looked away, Cedric also told me, that we should avenge the deaths of those Voldemort killed, and to them.  
  
Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, and then looked around at everyone else, Let's do it.  
  
They all nodded, The Phoenix Underground will need a new motto, Hobbes said.  
  
They had one? Calvin asked incredulously.  
  
Hobbes shook his head, No, but we do now,   
  
They all nodded, then Hobbes did something that surprised everyone.  
  
Ronald Harold Weasley, Hobbes intoned, and Harry and Hermione's eyebrows perked. Ron's middle name was Harold? Like some people though Harry's first name was? Well, Ron was younger then Harry having been born on August 24th, so did the Weasleys name him _after_ Harry? Over the last five years at Hogwarts you have shown courage, and dedication. As Chief Auror of the Phoenix Underground, I ask you, to join the Underground.  
  
There was a small pause.  
  
Ron managed to croak out, But why now, and not last summer?  
  
Becuase your needed now, Hobbes answered, side-stepping the question.  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
Harry said, full realizing that what he was about to say was completely pointless, Now what?  
  
We should probably get back, Hobbes said grimly.  
  
Calvin sighed, Hobbes we don't need to, we can return at the very moment we left, and then tell Dumbledore.  
  
I don't think that's such a good idea, Hobbes countered.  
  
Harry noticed Hermione's arm around him and slipped his own around her and smiled. He then kissed her on the cheek and she blushed.  
  
Harry grinned, Ron noticing this rolled his eyes, and mumbled he wished Cho was a Gryffindor.  
  
Let's go, Harry interjected, as Calvin and Hobbes were still arguing with no apparent end to the disagreement in sight.  
  
Calvin feebly tried to get a vote on it, but his proposition of staying was defeated 4 to 1. Sighing, he led them back to the box, which apparently hadn't been touched.  
  
That's lucky, Hobbes commented, Remember the time that saber-tooth tiger played' with the Time Machine on our trip to the Ice Age three years ago?  
  
Calvin apparently chose to ignore Hobbes, and they all climbed into the Time Machine without incident. Calvin set the dial for the current year and the time they left, and they zoomed off towards the sky.  
  
At this point, a particularly hungry _Tyrannosaurus _was marching through the jungle. He was perfectly content had had just finished off a delicious tricerotops moments before. His contentment, however, was breached by the small object that flew past him. The tyrannosaur lunged for it with a claw, but it did a fascinating barrel roll and shot up towards the sky. The tyrannosaur shrugged off the intruder after he missed it and continued on to take a nap.  
  
Holy moley! Calvin exclaimed as he relaxed, they were in the wormhole between space-time now, and were perfectly safe.  
  
Harry and Hermione, who had grabbed each other so tightly they each nearly choked the other one, let go of each other, sighed, and kissed.  
  
Ron threw up again.  
  
Hobbes was grinning like a schooltiger and let out an estatic that startled everyone in the Time Machine.  
  
Soon, there was the rushing of cold British air that signified their return into normalcy. Harry had grinned as he saw the Hogwarts castle towering in the sky. The last time Harry had seen the castle from above had been in second year when after the gateway to Platform 9 and 3/4 closed itself early, due to interference from a house-elf named Dobby, Ron and Harry had flew the Weasley's enchanted car to school. Harry's grin faded slightly as he remembered the grim faces of Dumbledore and McGonagall. Every year it seemed, Harry would have some fear that he was going to get expelled. Harry remembered his first year, he had figured he was to be expelled only to become the youngest Seeker, or player for that matter, on a House Quidditch team in one hundred years.  
  
Calvin, however, was a much better flyer then a lot of people ever could be, perhaps because he had invented the Time Machine. In any event, they easily zoomed through an open window in the boys' dorms, landed, and snuck into the common room.  
  
Harry picked up his Gobstones, exactly as he had left them. Calvin, meanwhile, looked at his watch.  
  
Excellent, we arrived two minutes after we left, so everything should work out perfectly with no paradox.  
  
Ron wondered aloud.  
  
Simply put, Hobbes broke in, We see ourselves and because of it, the universe ends.  
  
Ron swallowed,   
  
Hobbes grinned, In any event, we need to go see Dumbledore.  
  
Let me get this straight, Dumbledore said, with his eyes twinkling as usual, You went to the Jurassic, Ron was nearly killed by a small dinosaur, Harry's parents and Mr. Diggory told him Voldemort's wand needs to regenerate from the Hogsmeade attack, and you, Dumbledore looked in the general direction of Hobbes, Made Mr. Weasley here a   
member of the Phoenix Underground.  
  
They all nodded, after all it was the truth.  
  
Dumbledore's face went grave, Mr. Weasley, under the best of circumstances we might have done a welcoming ceremony, I have been waiting for the right time to make you a member. Alas, if Voldemort knew what you could be...  
  
Ron looked puzzled, What do you mean?  
  
Dumbledore pulled a rather large scroll out from under his desk and spread it our from under his desk.  
  
Now is the right time to show you all of this. You are basically my core members of the Underground, along with Miss Figg, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Snape,  
  
Calvin muttered that this was a lot of along with, but Dumbledore ignored him.  
  
Harry, you are first mentioned in a prophecy by Merlin himself six hundred and fifty years ago in Camelot, shortly before Merlin and the city were wiped off the face of the Earth for unknown reasons. One copy of his prediction managed to survive before the blast:  
  
_He or she who wears The Scar of Lightning  
Shall have three fights, one defenseless, one tween, and one final  
Should he or she win we should have peace_'  
  
Mr. Weasley, you have your own prediction, by the great Divinist, Helga Hufflepuff,  
  
_He should have hair like the Desert itself,  
Red like fury,  
The friend of Lightning  
His power is his alone_'  
  
This is followed by Shawton Dumbledore's prediction  
  
_The Red-Haired Friend will fight with his hands  
Hands from which the Elements come forth to kill._'  
  
Good grief, Hermione said into the pregnant silence that followed.  
  
You mean, I mean, you reckon, that I, can do element charms with my hand? Ron sputtered.  
  
More then that Ron, Hobbes said gravelly, Your the only person in the world who can send the elements to kill with just his hand.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, It is my belief, and I doubt that I am wrong about this, but you can perform the Fiwairthal Curse with just your hands, as well as spew out water, fire, earth, or air, by your hand to kill sort range.  
  
But how? Ron was looking at his hands as though they would jump out and strangle him without warning.  
  
Dumbledore motioned for Ron to stand up, and he complied. Dumbledore spoke, point you hand at the door, and yell _Firos Minos!_  
  
Shaking and tottering, Ron pointed his had, closed his eyes to concentrate, and roared out so loud that it shook everyone sitting in the room, _FIROS MINOS!_  
  
Orange and red flame shot out of Ron's hand and hit the door at high velocity. Immediately it caught on fire and burned to nothing but smoking embers.  
  
Dumbledore picked up his wand and muttered a Repairing Spell, That was a Mininimum Fire Attack.  
  
Ron looked at his hand as though it was enchanted.   
  
They all sat still for several seconds and then Calvin broke the silence,  
  
Holy crap. 


	19. The Grounding String

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Nineteen-The Grounding String

  
**Disclaimer: All right C&H belong to Watterson and United Press Syndicate, HP to JK Rowling, and WB, etc. This is one of my favorite chapters here. Forgive me for moving so quickly through the months in this, maybe I'll write one more chapter after Ch. 21. Ty for all the great reviews. God bless indeed!**

Ron groaned, "Oh man. Harry, this is absolutely impossible!"  


Harry grinned, "Come off it Weasel," he joked, "I highly doubt that Snape would give us a Potions review that was _impossible_. That's only his tests."  


Hermione smiled, and Harry was glad he was sitting down, but his knees would have given away had he stood up.  


"This isn't that bad Ron," Hermione said, "I mean after all, this review is only three scrolls of parchment long, I already finished."  


Ron sent Hermione a death glare, "Sod off Herm. Go snog Potter over there or something."  


Hermione blushed, and Harry grinned but could feel his face burn to, 

"What about you and Cho, Ron? Have you told her about your element-hand?"  


Ron shook his head, "I almost did on the Diagon Alley trip, but then Calvin and Hobbes dragged me into Gambol and Japes. It's hard to believe that Hobbes is a teacher."

"Ron!" Hermione was shocked, "That was a month ago! You could have found _some_ time to tell her!"

Harry's mouth somehow formed into a wider grin then the one he'd been wearing, "I think he's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had. Too bad Malfoy got cleared on Imperious after Vertiaserum, or else life'd be perfect."  


"I agree," Hermione nodded, "Gambol and Japes is the wizarding joke shop right?"

  
Ron nodded, "They've got this new thing called Dungibuster's Fireworks. They're Filibusters that let off a Dungbomb scent at the same time. Calvin borrowed Harry's Marauder's Map a month ago and set them in the entrances to the different House common rooms. Let's just say it wasn't pretty."  


Harry and Hermione sniggered and Harry finished the last question on the review, the answer was 'Mandrakes'.

  
"You finished yet Ronnikins?" Harry teased.  


Ron rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that's right, Harry. I've still got forty-six questions left. I _know_ I'm going to fail."  


"Well then," came the voice of Calvin Arrow from behind them, "Maybe I can be of assistance."

  
They all turned around, in his hand Calvin held a caulender with three strings attached to it. The strings were connected to an upside-down box entitled "Atomic Cerebral Enhance-O-Tron".  


"What the..." Hermione's jaw dropped open.  


"D'you reckon it works?" Ron asked, his voice full of hope.  


Calvin nodded.  


"Well then," Ron got up bursting with excitement, "Let me use it! The test is in three hours!"  


Calvin nodded again, "First off you need to know a few things. One, this only works for four hours. Two, your head swells as a result of cerebral enhancement. Three, first let me show you how it works."  


Ron nodded enthusiastically, and Harry and Hermione got up to look at it.  


Calvin began speaking pointing to various objects, "Cerebral Enhancement Charms are particularly difficult to perform, although they do not need a wand.  


"One the Thinking Cap," Calvin held up the caulender, "Must have the input and output strings attached for the charm to flow through. The third string is called the grounding string, and is vital to the enhancement. The grounding string keeps your ideas based in reality.  


"Secondly, I'll press the button and say the magic word _Click_, you _must_ say _Brzap_ immediately. Got everything?"  


Ron quickly nodded, and yanked the Thinking Cap out of Calvin's hands, "Oy, be careful," Calvin said, "If you break any strings, things can get really screwy."  


Ron slipped the Cap on his head carefully and moved to his right. Unbeknownst to everyone, at this point, Ron accidentally pulled out the grounding string.

  
"All right," Calvin said, he had now attracted a fair amount of people in the common room who had come down to study before breakfast, 

"Here goes," Calvin walked around the Atomic Cerebral Enhance-O-Tron and pressed a button on the top, "_Click._"  


Immediately, Ron answered back "_Brzap._"  


"Well," Harry said eagerly, "How do you feel?"  


Ron shrugged and pulled off his cap, and like Calvin had said his head was all swollen, "Hjak youi wegd uiodpjloi fizz pollue."  


Everyone in the common room's eyes went as large as dinner plates. 

Harry leaned over to Hermione, "Please tell me that's Ancient Runes."  


Sadly, Hermione shook her head, "'Fraid not."  


Calvin asked Ron a simple question, "What is your name?"  


"Sevarah Snafu," Ron answered back as though that were true. 

Everyone laughed except Calvin, who looked at the place were the wires were attached on the Enhance-O-Tron. "Oh crap."  


Harry and Hermione rushed over, "What's wrong."  


In reply, Calvin pointed were the grounding string should have been.  


"Oh no," Hermione whispered.

  
"Oh yes," Calvin answered, "He broke the grounding string."  


Meanwhile, Ron had swiped quills and parchment from people and while gurgling nonsense began a fairly good sketch of something only he could understand. Harry, Hermione, and Calvin rushed over. Ron pointed at various spots of the room with his thumb and pinky finger, and scribbled excitedly a drawing of something Harry had never seen before. Hermione knitted her brow, Harry couldn't imagine that she was trying to make sense of what Ron was writing.

  
Calvin cocked his head to one side, "It's familiar but he's way out of reality. So it's really as clear as mud."

  
Ron turned around and pointed at a spot on the parchment and grinned, "Xye utyher welconii. Dyii freener uluis. Freener uluis!"  


Harry shrugged, "What is it Ron?"  


Ron scowled, as though that were obvious, "Freener uluis!"  


Hermione pulled out a quill and began jotting down some of Ron's words. Calvin shook his head, "Don't even bother Hermione. He's talking gibberish, there's no way we can understand him. Somehow though, I think he sorta understands us."  


Ron rolled his eyes and went back to the paper muttering, "Ku bitus ioni," under his breath.  


Harry looked over at Ron and grinned at his swollen head, "Calvin, is there anyway to reverse the effects."  


Sadly, Calvin shook his head, "Nope. It's not really a known charm, I created it when I was six, but never bothered to find a reversal. I mean it wears off pretty quick."  


Hermione nervously ran a hand through her brown hair, Harry remembered when they were younger and her hair was all bushy. He grinned, and wondered again if he loved her. How would he tell her if he did? Would she love him back, rather would she even accept it?  


"But Calvin," Hermione said, "Snape'll skin us alive if he walks in like that, and talking in...whatever language that it is saying he's some Snafu guy."  


Calvin sighed, "What d'you want me to do Hermi? I can't fix it." He pursed his lips in thought, "We could always take him down to Madam Pomfrey."  


Hermione paled, "Are you kidding? Can you imagine the trouble we'll get into? Ron was trying to cheat, and you helped him!"  


Harry put his hand on Hermione's shoulder, "'Mione, it's either go to Pomfrey and take the fall for cheating, or brave Snape."  


Hermione furrowed her brow in deep thought, Harry could almost see the gears turning in her head. She was so smart! So beautiful! Oh, he wanted to kiss her!  


"Would Snape notice the swelled head?" Hermione broke through Harry's thoughts.  


Harry grinned, "We'll tell him Ron's wand backfired, give him something to laugh about."

  
Hermione pondered this and answered, "Won't he get a zero on the test?"   


Calvin grinned and yanked a quill out of his pocket, "This looks like a rather innocuous Sugar Quill, but..." Calvin's smile got wider, "I meant for myself to use this, but I happened to get the Potions answers from Hobbes..."

  
Hermione looked at Calvin with shock, "A teacher helped you cheat?"  
Calvin kept smiling, "Hobbes was in Gryffindor and knew the Marauders. He knows what a," Calvin said something that made Harry and Hermione grin, "Snape is and...er...accidentally dropped the answers. This quill has all of the answers stored in it. Put it in Ron's hand and instant one hundred. The quill will write for him, and under just about every Anti-Cheating Spell in Hogwarts won't pick it up."  


Harry was impressed, now it was easy to see that Calvin Shawton Arrow was Dumbledore's great-grandson.   


"Are you sure it will work," Hermione asked doubtfully.  


"Sure, I'm sure," Calvin answered easily.  


"Well, then," Hermione grinned, "Let's do it!"  


Two and a half hours later, Ron, was gradually transferring back to English from Ronlish or whatever he had been speaking, occasionally talking about fourth and seventh dimensional time-prows. Calvin commented that the cerebral enhancement was slowly dissipated.  
Ron also had some trouble walking, Calvin was trying to steady him, while Hermione used a few Steadying Enchantments to keep his walking nearly normal.

  
"Why is he walking like that?" Harry asked Calvin as they walked down the stairs, jumping and skipping the appropriate steps to the dungeon.  


Calvin shrugged, "I've never broken the grounding string before. My guess is that he's in another reality, and in that reality Ron is walking normally."  


Ron blabbered on, as though Calvin and Harry were not there, "Hyish reichtu well, you see, the uilo trigonometry is unified by g to the _h_th power multiplicatived by the Weakness Potion, hyish tryeon jklovich."   


Hermione grinned, and Harry rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say, Ron."  


Still chatting away about unifying multiplicatived potions, Calvin and Harry steered Ron to his desk. Calvin set the quill on Ron's desk and Harry sat down in a seat by Hermione. He leaned over, "Sort've funny seeing desks in Potions class."  


Hermione grinned and whispered back, "Let's hope this works."  


"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for whispering during class," Snape said coolly, "I suggest that you two keep your love life to each other." 

The Slytherins laughed while Harry and Hermione each turned a spectacular shade of crimson. He was redder then the Weasley sweater that Harry had gotten for Christmas.   


Luckily, Snape eventually passed out the tests to the students and Harry began. He looked at the first question, _1. How do you make a Polyjuice Potion?_ Harry's eyebrows raised in wonderment. They never had even talked about Polyjuice Potions in class. Actually only one book in the school had anything about it. That was _Moste Potente Potions_ an old book in the Restricted Section of the library. Naturally, Harry knew how to create it. Hermione, Ron, and himself had made it in second year in the out of order girls' toilet haunted by Moaning Myrtle, a ghost.  


The rest of the questions were just as ridiculous, most of them were only in Restricted books, and others were just bizarre. One had nothing to do with Potions, _106. How do you happen to kill a snow goon?_ Harry had no idea what a snow goon was.  


After the test, Snape took all of the tests and easily corrected them in front of the class with a Grading Spell.  


"Hmmm, Miss Brown, zero percent. Miss Patil, ahh point seven-five percent. Miss Granger-MISS GRANGER!" Snape bellowed the last in front of the entire class, "DID YOU CHEAT ON THIS EXAMINATION?"  


Hermione shook her head and smiled pleasantly. Snape who had obviously hoped for a fight continued, "Miss Granger...fifty-eight percent. Miss Grey...zero. Miss Trumanson...one and a half percent. Mr. Finnigan...zero. Mr. Potter...twenty-six. Mr. Arrow thirty-two...Mr. Thomas...zero. MR. WEASLEY! YOU MUST HAVE CHEATED!"  
Ron looked up at Snape in puzzlement, "Chawyed?"  


Snape looked at Ron's paper, then back at Ron, "Let me see your quill Weasley!"  


Ron grinned and tossed the quill to Snape who caught it, a scowl very clear on his face. Shifting the tests under one arm, Snape did several Anti-Cheating Spells with his wand, finally giving up, "Mr. Weasley...one hundred percent." Gasps rose from every throat save Calvin, Harry, Hermione, and Ron.  


Snape continued on, the hatred in his voice evident, "Miss Bulstrode, seventy-six, Miss Parkinson, eighty-two, Mr. Malfoy, ninty-three..." and so on, as the lowest Slytherin grade was a seventy percent. All of the Slytherins wore particularly smug smiles. To avoid the temptation to wipe the smiles off the Slytherin faces themselves, Harry, Hermione, and Calvin helped Ron out of the classroom.  


Slowly, Ron was beginning to become coherent, but he'd occasionally slip back into his own reality, and speak his own language.  


Ron was, however, able to walk with only Calvin steadying him now, so Harry was free to slip his arm around Hermione. How blind had Harry been not to notice Hermione before. Sure, she had only recently bloomed, but she had always been smart, funny, and cute. Harry remembered on the night of the Yule Ball last year she had been drop-dead gorgeous.

  
"I can't believe that guy," Calvin was complaining as they walked aimlessly down the halls. "There is _no way_ that _Millicent Bulstrode_ got a seventy-six percent on that test! It's impossible!"  


Hermione chuckled, "Get used to it Calvin. Don't worry about your thirty-two percent wrecking your grade, Dumbledore and McGonagall won't let him fail you."  


Calvin hollowly laughed, and prevented Ron from smashing into a suit of armor, "I'm _not_ worried. That's the highest grade in Potions I've_ gotten_ this term."

  
Harry, Hermione, and even Ron who was slowly returning to the real world sniggered.  


"Anyway Calvin," Harry spoke up, "How much longer until Ron gets out of his own personal little world"  


Calvin shrugged, "About twenty minutes or so I'd say. Why?"  
Harry noticed that the corridor they were in was the one with entrance to the kitchens, "Well, why don't we stop and grab some food. We don't have Transfiguration today, McGonagall's taken ill. I'm more then willing to bet that she's on another mission."

  
Hermione grinned, "Why not? I'll get a chance to chat with the house-elves and see how their enjoying earning money."  


Very distinctly Ron rolled his eyes, "Exytsh right, Hermi."  


Hermione glared at him, and Harry walked over to the beautiful portrait of the bowl of fruit and tickled the pear. After it giggled and squirmed for awhile, the portrait opened and they all walked in.  


"Harry Potter, sirs! Hermione Granger, sirs! Ronald Weasley sirs! Calvin Arrow sirs!" Dobby squeaked as they walked in.  


"Hey there Dobby," Harry answered, waving at the little elf who nearly toppled over with joy.  


"You just in time sirs to see the match!" Dobby trilled at the top of his voice.  


"Match?" Hermione looked positively horrified, "You aren't going to-_fight_ are you?"  


Dobby shook his head quickly, "No Hermione Granger, no. And let me thank you for your kind wages you worked so we were given," at the this a few house-elves backed away from Dobby, "It is rather a match between two ghost on their flying abilities, sirs."  


Ron raised his eyebrows in interest, "Well iopyu, we can't uisylt thiuth, lead on Dobby."  


Hermione shook her head and Harry distinctly heard her mutter, "Oh honestly!" under her breath.  


Harry was about to ask her what was wrong when a broom, ridden by none other then Protectorate ghost Viktor Krum zoomed low of their heads, scattering them. Harry quickly got to his feet and helped Hermione and Calvin up. Ron meanwhile apparently hadn't noticed the broom go by, Harry wryly wondered if living in your own reality might be better for your sanity.  


"VEEEEEE-HAW!" Krum's ghost wailed as he did a loop-the-loop on the broom and circled back. Several of the house-elves applauded, and Krum hopped off his broom and held all, all while floating in mid-air.  


"Zhank you, kind elves. Ahhh Herm-own-ninny," Krum smiled as he saw Hermione who shuddered slightly. Harry wonder how in the world Viktor could have cheated on her, "Harry! And Ron! How zave you been lately?"

  
Hermione forced a smile, "Quite well, Viktor, and you?"  


"Just whipping some my spirited competition at zay little flying," he roared with laughter at his joke. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were dumbstruck while Calvin laughed along. The Viktor Krum they knew hardly ever cracked a smile, let alone told _jokes_, "Ze Bloody Baron challenged me to some trick-flyin, and zai decided to show hime voues boss!"

  
With those words, another ghost on a broomstick launched into a complicated maneuver, misjudged and crashed right into the wall. While he obviously wasn't hurt, after all what could hurt a ghost? The Bloody Baron's pride must have been because he floated out of the kitchen without a huff.

  
"Excellent flying Krum," Ron said and he moseyed over to Viktor. Calvin grinned, and Harry and Hermione did likewise. Obviously, Ron had gotten over his loss of reality.  


"Za Ron! How 'ave you been lately, has everyzink been okay?"  


Ron nodded, "Definitely, how about you?"  


"Vell, all has been well. It's actually fun being dead! Although I never would trade life zor death, I find that my, er per-soon-litey has changed, zerhaps for ze better."  


They all nodded, "Oh, would eet be too much if I 'ave a personal word with Harry?"  


Hermione, Calvin, and Ron looked at each other and shrugged.  


"All right," Calvin answered.  


So Harry walked over a corner of the kitchen with Krum who looked at him a for a few seconds. Then, pointing at a tray of glazed doughnuts, Krum asked if Harry wanted one because after all the house-elves wouldn't mind. Harry nodded and bit into one.  


Krum sighed, "Oh, how could I 'ave been so stupid as to lose Herm-own-ninny..."  


Harry felt his blood boil, now after he was dead, Vicky was regrettable about cheating on Hermione, well Harry wasn't going to fall for this. 

"Say her name right you git! It's Her-my-oh-knee! And don't give me this kind of junk, I know that you kissed another gril! So just shut up! You're dead for cripe's sakes!"

  
Viktor's ghost looked taken aback, "Vell, yes, so I did. I suppose I did not realize what I had. Hannah zeemed so beautiful, and well. Zit was an accident."

  
"To take one of Hermione's favorite sayings," Harry retorted, "Oh honestly! It's not an accident when you kiss someone!"  


Again Krum looked guilty, "Yes, I know. But vhat are you vorried about Harry? I can't move in on you, I mean, I highly doubt vhat Hermy-knee vould go out vith a dead person."  


Harry sighed, "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about anyway,"

Krum nodded, "Don't take her for granted Harry. She's rare and you could all her an en-dandruff species," Harry stifled the urge to correct Viktor, "Cherish her Harry, I didn't, and I want you too, all vight?"

  
Harry now felt guilty about yelling at him, but he looked Krum in his ghostly eye, "I will, I mean, I think I love her. And I'm sorry for yelling my head off earlier."  


Viktor Krum gave a ghost of a smile, "No problem Harry, ve all get carried away. Besides zhat, I deserved it."  


Harry put the rest of his doughnut in his mouth and chewed on it, and then turned around and walked back to his friends.  


"Was anything wrong?" Hermione asked urgently as they walked out the exit and into the hallway.  


Harry took Hermione's hand into his and smiled. Nothing could be wrong when I'm with you, he thought, but answered differently, "No, we just talked."

  
"What about?" Ron asked who had been in the middle of telling Calvin exactly what it was like to have your own personal reality ("It was really cool, all the bright colors, and people wearing Muggle clothes and talking to me. Yet somehow I could see and hear you guys, but I guess I could only respond in my reality's language.")  


"Hermione," Harry answered crisply. Hermione squeezed his hand and gave him a grin. Harry felt his knees go week and his stomach suddenly felt very, _very_ empty. He leaned in and gave her a kiss. If there was one thing that Harry could do all day, it was kiss Hermione on the lips. Eventually, however, they had to break the kiss, not least because Calvin and Ron were humming "Here Comes The Bride".  


Calvin grinned devilishly, "'Hermione Potter', you know that wouldn't that bad of a name Herms."

  
Hermione scowled at Calvin, "Come on, we're fifteen years old, I highly doubt I'm going to run off and elope with Harry."  


"Why not?" Harry joked, while looking ashen-faced, "We can just fly our brooms over to America, land in Las Vegas and get married at a drive-thru chapel!"  


Calvin and Ron doubled over with laughter.  


"Yeah," Ron wheezed, "First path to a successful marriage, get married by Yankees off in Lost Vegan."  


"Las Vegas," Harry sighed.  


Calvin, meanwhile, feigned offense, "Hey! I'm a Yankee!"  


"Really?" Hobbes' voice boomed as he turned around the corner at looked at the four with a bemused glance, "I always thought you liked Detroit. You know, the Tigers."  


Ron was bewildered, "You mean Muggle Detroit is run by tigers?"  


There was loud _thwack_ sound, as simultaneously, Harry, Hermione, Calvin, and Hobbes slapped their foreheads.  


"Anyway," Hobbes said, "Dumbledore needs to see you guys immediately."  


"What is it?" Hermione asked, with alarm visible in her eyes.  


Hobbes shrugged, "I don't know, he's got some old guy in there, a women, and some other people. I think it's a major meeting of the Underground."

  
Ron's eyebrows raised, "But I have a date with Cho tonight!"  


Everyone in the corridor turned around and yelled out, "**_RON!_**"  


Ron quickly backed off, "Sorry, sorry, it's just Cho's well," Ron got a dreamy far away look in his eyes, "Well, she's Cho."  


Harry rolled his eyes, "So eloquently put Ronniekins."  


Ron quickly snapped back to attention, "Don't call me that."  


Calvin nodded, "OK, Ronniekins, let's go."  


Hermione grinned, and they walked off, blissfully unaware of the dangers prepared for them. 


	20. Kidnapped!

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twenty-Kidnapped!

Disclaimer: C&H belong to Bill Watterson and Universal Press Syndicate. HP to J.K. Rowling and Warners Bros. Just four or five more chapters to go...then my sequel centering around...aww, should I tell you? Nah. God bless oray for the good old USA! 

  
Inside Dumbledore's office Harry saw about eight witches and wizards, some of them he knew, Mad-Eye Moody, Professor McGonagall, Snape, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and two others he didn't. There was a beautiful women who looked like an adult Hermione, with gorgeous brown hair, a good tan, and she was about five eleven, then there was an old man who was in peak physical condition, but had a head of gray hair and a bushy mustache.

  
As Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hobbes, and Calvin walked in, Ron tripped. As he fell flat on his face a few people giggled. Harry could sense a lot of nervous tension in the room, and that worried him.  
Dumbledore had a small sparkle in eye when Ron fell, but it quickly abated as the gang sat down.  


"Normally," he began, "Sirius, Hagrid, Remus, James, and Lily would be here, but instead James and Lily are gone, only here in spirit. Hagrid is still off with the giants. So I welcome, Hobbes White Siberia, Calvin Shawton Arrow, Ronald Harold Weasley, Hermione Elizabeth Granger, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Alastor Grey Moody, Minerva Crescent McGonagall, Severus Filat Snape, Arthur Weasley, Molly Jane Weasley, and myself.  


"Voldemort has captured Sirius and Remus."  


A gasp went up in the room. Harry felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. Sirius...and Remus! It wasn't fair! Why them? Why them? It made so sense whatsoever...  


Harry felt a warm hand on his shoulder, he looked over and saw Hermione with a grim expression plastered on her face.

  
"In any event," Dumbledore continued, "This is obviously a major problem because Black and Lupin are our two best spies for the Underground, save Severus. We need to formulate a rescue plan."  


A murmur ran through the group, Harry closed his eyes and tried to focus on Hermione's hand rather then the fact that Sirius and Lupin were missing, it was impossible.  


"As best as we can figure," Dumbledore intoned, "Lord Voldemort has not personally seen Sirius or Lupin. Voldemort is currently recuperating from his attack on Hogsmeade. My sources," here Harry knew Dumbledore was talking about him, "Tell me it may be a month or two before he can say the Fifth Curse again. Meanwhile, reports show he has gained the Hitlercane Curse, obviously a weapon to be reckoned with.  


"Personally, it is startling to find that Voldemort has gained so much power so quickly. Especially disturbing is his discoveries of the most of the Grindewald Curses. If we do not act soon, he may very well win."  


Shock filled the room. Harry tightly closed his eyes, this wasn't possible, this wasn't possible.  


Harry sighed, again he tried to concentrate on Hermione but he was unable to, this was so horrible.  


"So," Dumbledore went on, "We need to have a force ready to recapture Sirius and Remus, we currently believe that they are in the United States, do we have any volunteers?"

  
Harry immediately raised his hand, he was quickly followed by Calvin and Hobbes ("We lived in America after all."), Hermione and Ron.  


"Excellent," Dumbledore said brightly, "Arabella, you will lead this mission. All of you will leave immediately, we believe Pettigrew holds them in Los Angeles, so you can Quikgo there outside Ventura Costway, I believe it's called?"  


"Freeway," Calvin corrected apparently without thinking.  


"Ahh, yes," Dumbledore answered with nary a twinkle in his eye. As they left, Harry heard Dumbledore distinctly ask Mundungus, "About our troublesome Mr. Malfoy..."

  
Harry had to admit that Arabella was beautiful, but Calvin seemed to be worshipping the floor she walked on. He gazed at her and seemed to be unaware of any else, this was especially noticeable after he had smashed into his third wall, which was shortly followed by his smacking into his seventh torch.  


Arabella Figg however, was more focused on their mission, she took long strides and her face was as determined as Harry had ever seen someone be.  


Harry wondered why she was so driven, perhaps she had known Remus and Sirius that made sense, and he decided to ask her, "Which one of them did you know?"  


Arabella looked slightly confused, then answered crisply, "How did you know I knew any of them?"  


"Er, because you seem so determined to find them."  


Arabella sighed, "I'm Remus' fiancée."  


Calvin gasped and ran straight into a knight with a loud _clang!_  


"Fiancée?" he choked out, as he got up and dusted off his black school robes and straightened his hat, "Your getting married?"  


Calvin's surprise was shared by everyone in the group, most notably Harry, why didn't Remus or Sirius tell him?

  
Arabella nodded in reply to Calvin's question, and went on, "It also scares me that they got Sirius. I mean after all he was at Hogwarts when it happened."  


Harry was thrown into further shock, "You mean you knew he was-"

  
"Icarus Snuffles?" Arabella gave Harry a big grin, "Of course Harry, after all I-"  


Harry's knees buckled and his face pitched forward and crashed into the floor.  


__

Harry looked down at his body, Hermione had rolled him over and was checking for a pulse. Harry grimaced at the bloody nose he had, after all, he would_ have to return to that body. After apparently finding no pulse Hermione began doing CPR on him. Now _that_ was something he wouldn't mind happening to himself..._

  
"Harry," Harry turned at the sound of his mother's voice. He turned at smiled at his mother and father. Lily Potter was smiling serenely and James Potter grinned at his son.  


"Mum, Dad!" Harry said excitedly, "How are you?"  


"We're fine Harry," James said, "But we do have to tell you something, trust Bella. It may seem like she's untrustworthy, but stick with her. She's a good person Harry. Never doubt her. All right?"  


Harry nodded and ran over to his mum and dad. Lily Potter hugged her son and Harry started crying. His mum...was hugging him. It was so weird. Aunt Petunia had never come close to showing any affection for her nephew, and Hermione had sort of acted like the mother he never had.  


"Why Remus, why Sirius, Mum, Dad, why did you have to leave me?"  


James Potter soberly answered, "We knew there was a million to one chance you'd live and we took it. Rather then letting you die, we wanted you to live. And now look, you have friends, caring teachers, a godfather who loves you, and a really caring girlfriend in Hermione. She reminds me so much of your mum."  


Lily smiled, "She is rather like me, Harry go hug your dad, and then you have to go or Hermione will think your dead. Remember what I told you."  


Harry nodded, gave his father a hug, and felt the sensation of being pulled back into his body....  


Hermione's lips went on Harry's as his body jolted and he returned. On instinct Harry wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. After a few seconds they reluctantly pulled away. Arabella cast them a questioning eyebrow, "Harry, did you do that just so Hermione would kiss you?"

  
Harry sniggered and felt his face go red, "No, did my scar disappear?"  


Arabella nodded and Harry continued, "That's been happening all year, I keep seeing my mum and dad."  


Arabella's eyebrows raised, "Y-you saw Lily? And James? Really?"  


Harry nodded. 

"It's been so long," an eerie smile crept on her face, 

"We were really good friends."  


"What house were you in?" Hermione inquired.  


"Slytherin," Arabella answered without hesitation.  


Ron, Hermione, and Calvin got shocked looks, Hobbes didn't and Harry kept his face neutral. He remembered what his parents had said, "Trust Bella."  


"Hey guys," Hobbes said feeling the tension in the room, "Don't worry about her being a Slytherin, she hung out with us Gryffindors most of the time, right 'Bella?"

  
Arabella Figg nodded, "Yeah, that was so long ago though."  


Hobbes grinned, "Anyway, you all know how to use a Quikgo right?"  


Calvin, Ron, and Hermione all nodded immediately, Harry shook his head. He really wished that he knew more about the wizarding world, it really was embarrassing having to admit he had no idea what people were talking about. It was even doubled by the fact that he was the _famous_ Harry James Potter and he _had _to know all this stuff.  


Arabella cocked an eyebrow again, "You don't?"  


Feeling very foolish Harry nodded.  


"OK then," Arabella took a small black thing about the size and shape of a cigar and held it up, "This is a Quikgo." Arabella shook the Quikgo a few times until a golden sliver of light shown around it. Suddenly the Quikgo jumped out of her hand and began to sing and sort of do a dance:  


"_Where do you wish to go today?  
Young gents, young ladies, young tiger?  
You wish to go to a cliff and made be a liar?  
Or perhaps you are the sporting types ready for a game?  
Just possibly you wish to see someone of fame?  
Tell me your destination please,  
And I'll take you there faster then you can sneeze!_"  


__

"Ventura Freeway, Los Angeles, California, United States of America," Arabella said matter-of-factly. Suddenly there was a clap of thunder and a pink light enveloped them all.  
  
_Zoom!_ Harry fell back into Hermione's arms as a Muggle car nearly ran over him. Again Harry felt an urge to tell her how much he loved her. He cared more for her then life itself. He really loved her. He loved everything about her.  


"OK," Arabella's voice broke into his warm fuzzy thoughts, "After our two resident romantics there get out of each other's arms, we have to find Sirius and Remus. Harry pulled himself out of Hermione's grip, 

"Thank you, Herms."  
"OK, now we have to complete our mission," Arabella faced cracked into a smile here, "So I can get married."  


There was some nervous laughter.  


"We think that Voldemort has aligned himself with major American drug cartels, by allying will all evil, he may be able to take over the Muggle world from the inside. You kids are pretty green about this, but I worked as an Unspeakable for years. First, _always_ be ready to take out your wand. Second, Stun only unless it is _absolutely necessary_. We are going to bust one of Voldemort's major drug rings where we have reason to believe Remus and Sirius are. However, we believe it may very well be protected by magic. Maybe only magic, with no bodyguards."

  
Harry nodded, Calvin then asked, "Whose doing the dirty work for Voldemort here?"  


Arabella looked mildly surprised, "You didn't know? Peter Pettigrew, know better around here as Boss Wormtail."

  
Harry's eyes bulged, "_Peter Pettigrew?_" he exclaimed, "In charge of a drug ring? Are you sure?"  


Arabella nodded, "We have no doubt. You see, Pettigrew just has to give orders here, people don't want to piss off the right-hand man of Lord Voldemort.  


As the cars passed, a lot of people stared at the strangers wearing their funny-looking robes.  


"Uh, Miss Figg," Calvin stammered, "Um, we need Muggle clothing...we're attracting _loads_ of attention..."  


Hobbes looked around and realized that they were right, he waved his paw a few times and murmured some words. Then there was a silver flash.  


Harry looked down at the orange shirt and blue shorts he was wearing and had to agree they looked really cool. Harry also noticed that his glasses were slightly tinted, probably to look like shades. All in all, except for his obvious lack of tan, he looked quite normal. Harry looked around at the rest of the group, Ron was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with jeans, Arabella, a thin sweater and jeans, Calvin a red and black striped T-shirt with black jeans, and Hermione was wearing a white T-shirt with shorts. Harry made a mental note to remember how good Herm looked in Muggle clothes.  


Hobbes on the other hand wore a pair of jams, he explained way when he saw their quizzical looks, "Come on people, think about it, the Muggles think I'm a _stuffed animal_, so I just need to not be wearing Hogwarts stuff."  


"Won't the wizards notice you immediately as a Wizarimal?" Hermione inquired.  


Hobbes shook his head and grinned, "Nope." Hobbes pulled a small vial out of his robe that was filled with a thick black liquid, "This will make me look like a stuffy to everyone except you guys. Hobbes easily twisted off the cap of the vial and downed the liquid. His face twisted into a grosteque expression, "That stuff tastes awful."  


Calvin laughed and Hobbes sent him a death glare, which only made Calvin laugh harder.  


"In the event of trying to _find_ Remus and Black, we need to go now." At this Arabella pulled out a handgun, Harry was taken aback, what was Arabella doing with a _gun_?  


Even Hobbes looked perturbed, and he _knew_ Arabella, "Bella," he asked quietly, "Why do you need that?"  


All Hobbes got in reply was a "You'll see," and they walked in the bike lane until they reached a turning point.  


From there Harry noticed that they neighborhoods they were going to were getting more and more seedy. Well, in a way that made sense, after all who'd except Voldemort's drug rings to be the high-class areas of L-A?

  
Eventually they cam upon a store incidentally called "POTTER'S MISCELLANEUS". Arabella drew out her gun and walked in, "All right Potter," she said tensely, "Come out with your hands up."  


A fat man wearing a white shirt that had grease stains on it, and black pants with the suspenders wrapped around his bulging stomach trotted out. The man was also balding and looked scared. In his harsh American accent he spoke, "Whaddywant?"

  
"Lieutenant Eliazbeth James, LAPD," Arabella said and she clicked the safety off on her gun. Harry gasped at Arabella's demeanor, she even sounded like a Yankee!  


She rushed over and grabbed Potter by the cuff of his shirt and lifted him up, he said something very inappropriate followed by, "Police brutality!"   


"You can shut the," It was now Arabella's turn to say something inapproiate, "I know you have info on Wormtail, I want it now." She pressed the gun into the man's neck, he began sweating.  


"Look girl-er-Lieutenant, I'm legal now. I haven't done crack since the eighties."  


"Oh yeah," Arabella said with a devilish grin, "They how'd you know Wormtail _does _crack? he could have been anything else."

  
Potter looked defeated, "All right, all right. Don't shoot man."  


"I'm female, empty space for brains," Arabella said tersely.  


"OK, if you give me immunity I'll tell you. Just don't kill me, er-Ly-tan-ant."  


Arabella nodded, "Fine, where's Wormtail's hideout?"  


"Old warehouse on Gotham Avenue," Potter answered shaking.  


Arabella nodded, and threw Potter back. She then appraised the place with her eyes and then stared at Potter, "Clean this place up or I'll get the IRS to audit this place. Your lucky I'm not looking at your Miscellaneous crud."  


Potter nodded meekly and they all walked out.  


Fifteen minutes later Hobbes was the first to break the silence, "Bella, why'd you do that?"  


Arabella looked distantly at Hobbes, "Why, whatever do you mean?"  


Hobbes looked at her coolly, "Don't give me that Bella, you don't fool me for a second. You had a grudge against that guy didn't you? You didn't _need_ to do that. A Truth Spell or Vertiaserum would have done the same thing. After that you Memory Charm 'em."  


Arabella looked away as they continued down the block, "All right, the guy is an old enemy from Hogwarts," she admitted, "I needed to get some revenge for the seven years of torment he gave me."  


Hobbes' eyes widened with shock, "You mean _that_ was Bennington Cillason?"  


Arabella nodded, and Hobbes sputtered on, "What happened to him? He was Head Boy, even if he was a Slytherin!"  


Arabella sighed, "Came to America and follows Voldemort. He took up a menial Muggle job as a front, and is not allowed to use wands. Obviously I had to get some revenge."  


"You wouldn't have _shot_ him would you have?" Ron asked, now sounding fearful rather then smitten.  


Arabella hesitated for a moment and then shook her head, "Never. I might have used some _merli du_."  


"_Merli du_?" Harry echoed, completely confused.  


"Wizard martial arts, I'm a phoenix belt, the highest possible."  


Harry only nodded, hoping his parents were right about Arabella being trustworthy.


	21. Showdown With Wormtail

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twenty One-Showdown With Wormtail  
**Disclaimer: Well, only a few more to go! Then comes the sequel! :) God bless and enjoy! Usual disclaimers apply.**

This was it, Harry thought as they walked up to the warehouse were Peter Pettigrew, AKA Wormtail was running a drug ring. harry shook his head, it was impossible to imagine meek Pettigrew as a drug lord. 

When you thought about it, it was rather laughable.  


Harry also worried about Arabella, was she really Remus' fiancée? Even if she was, she seemed to have a mean streak. But his parents had told him to trust her, and he wasn't going to doubt them now of all times, especially since they were dead.

  
"So Bella," Hobbes said, looking somewhat more worried then he had been before Arabella had pulled out a gun on her Slytherin "friend", "Now what?"   


"Now the fun starts," she answered.  


Harry shuddered inwardly a tad bit, and then he felt Hermione's arm on his shoulder. She leaned over and whispered into his ear,  


"What's wrong?"

  
Hermione sighed and whispered back, "I'm getting worried about Arabella."

Harry shrugged, "Maybe her only real experience with Muggles is on the show "Cops".  


Hermione sniggered quietly.  


"All right people," Arabella Figg's shrill voice rang out, Harry flinched at the noise. He looked up at her _and saw that her lips weren't moving!_

Next to him Hermione muttered, "Thouplant Charm."  


"All right," Arabella's voice continued on, "Harry, Ron, Calvin, Hermione, you will have to take Aging Potion. Hobbes has the potion with him." On cue, Hobbes whipped four vials out of his fur. Harry wondered how in the world Hobbes managed to do that.

  
Calvin walked over first and took a vial. After opening the top, he chugged the greenish liquid down and made a face. Suddenly, his skin began to melt and his features changed. When it was done a rather handsome boy with spiked hair stood there, and then looked at his shrunken clothing. Calvin quickly did a Growth Charm on it, and Enlarged the rips. He then grinned a perfect devil-may-care grin and sauntered back to where had been.  


Ron went next, after he gulped the potion his height stayed the same, so next to Calvin he seemed pretty short. His face looked older though, Harry guessed mid-twenties.  


Hermione went up next. The Aging Potion, well made her indescribably pretty. She was...well, just Hermione Granger, but older and _much_ more beautiful. Harry found himself gazing at her, and she turned red. She was even better looking then Arabella, and now Hermione looked even more like her, although a tad younger.

Suddenly Harry was pulled out of his trance by Arabella's voice screaming in his ear, "Stop looking at Hermione, Harry! You'll have time for that later! We are outside a major drug pusher's hideout and all you do is stare at your twenty-five year old version of your girlfriend! Wake up and drink the potion!"  


Face flushing Harry went over and drank the potion. After he swallowed, he felt one of the strangest experiences he had ever felt, his skin seemed to stretch and contract. He heard a drumming sound loud in his ears, and he felt his clothes get so small that his shoes squished his feet. Then suddenly it stopped, Harry sighed with relief.

  
Then, Harry looked down at his clothes and quickly muttered a few Growth Charms.   


"Whoa," Calvin said, "I guess your hair never does get tamed, eh Harry?"  


Experimentally, Harry ran a hand through his hair, he was still messed up, and wouldn't mat down.  


"It's almost like a 'fro," Calvin said smirking, and Ron and Hermione laughed. Harry was unable to answer because Arabella, business as usual, said in everyone's heads to "get moving". She then tossed away her gun, ("Stupid Muggle toy.") and whipped out her wand  


"OK, people. Let's move!," Arabella's voice rang through Harry's head and he winced.  


"Question from the floor," Calvin stated and raised his hand.

Arabella wheeled around, "Yes?"

"Why the heck did we take Aging Potion?"

Arabella Figg sighed, "So that we won't be thought of as looking like we don't know what we're doing. We're still not sure if human bodyguards are being used."

Arabella led them through the warehouse, and walked through a golden mist. As she walked into it she paused for a second then continued on. Ron and Calvin followed suit, but Hobbes and Hermione walked right through it. Sighing, Harry walked in.  


He felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach and he looked down. _He was standing on the ceiling!_ Harry grinned, at least this was something familiar. He took a step and the world righted itself. He grinned at everyone else. Ron and Calvin were chortling, making fun of Arabella who was _not_ amused.

  
"People," she seethed without moving her lips, "There's no bodyguards but I'll bet probably tons of magic guards, so shut up!"  


"Oh yeah," Ron replied leaning against a banister, "Do tell."  


At that moment the banister fell over and Ron smacked his head against the cold and damp pavement of the warehouse. Calvin began to snigger, but then the stacks of boxes near the wall began to have white sheets of paper flowing from their sides.  


"Wings!" Hobbes yelled, and Harry realized that they were indeed fluffy, white wings bursting from the sides of the box. Suddenly, the boxes lifted up, and zoomed towards them. Instinctively Harry raised his wand and shot a Stunning Spell. A bolt of red light shot from Harry's wand and hit the box square in the center.  


It disintegrated.  


Everybody else took Harry's line of action and began shooting Stunners. There was no sound except grunting and "_Stupefy!_" being yelled out. The spell made no sound and neither did the disintegration. Harry hit another box on the wing, helplessly it smashed into the ground.  


Harry grimaced.  


Arabella meanwhile was in her finest hour. She was a natural with her wand and knocked off more boxes then anyone else. Ron was the clumsy however, once the box got so close to him you could touch it, and yet he missed hitting the box. The box smashed into him, knocking him back. He slammed his head hard against a wall, and wouldn't get up. Harry looked over to his friend and ran over to him when he saw the state he was in.  


"Ron!" Harry shook him, "Ron! Wake up man!"  


Harry reached for Ron's neck and was relieved when he felt a small, slight, weak pulse. At least he's still alive.  


After Hobbes plucked the last box, he ran over to Harry and Hermione, Calvin, and Arabella followed.  


Hobbes pointed his wand at Ron, and Harry heard Arabella yell in his head, "Hobbes you git! Be careful!"  


Hobbes, however, ignored her and after a while looked up. "He's been Comatzed."  


Harry was confused, _Comatzed?_ Was that a curse or something...or, Harry shuddered, was Ron really in a coma and wouldn't be able to wake up?

  
Seeing Harry's expression Hobbes explained, "It's like being Petrified, but harder to cure. I just can't heal him now. I'll need boomslang, lacesod, and few...rather illegal items. It won't take to long. I bet old Snape can conjure up a Parailsion Potion in no time. For now, we'd better leave him here. He'll weigh us down if we keep him."

  
Harry was outraged, "Leave Ron! Are you insane? Why-"  


"He's right Harry," Hermione broke in, "We need to save Remus and Sirius. We can't carry any dead weight. Let's go."  


Harry's lips pursed, but he nodded.  


And onward they went.  


There were several other traps as they went on. The warehouse may only have been a block long, but half of the boxes held not drugs but rather Dark burglar alarms. Their wands however did their job and Stunned the troll, the three werewolves, mutated grindylows, and a shapeless monster made of cocaine. 

  
Arabella was easily the best shot and quickest on the draw. This was especially useful for the huge forever-getting-everyone-more-tangled-up-in-it-net, and a huge monster that looked quite a bit like a large computer keyboard, which seemed to made off nothing but rows of teeth.  


Harry was panting after this encounter, and Calvin and Hobbes seemed more than bushed. In fact, Hobbes' tail was rather bushy after fighting the keyboard creature.  


Calvin grinned when he saw this and leaned against the wall, "Ahhhh, was ickle Hobbiekins freaked of the toothy monster?"  


Hobbes was about to reply when the wall turned green and sucked Calvin in.  


Without thinking, Harry and Hermione ran towards the wall and were also zapped in.  


It was the most peculiar sensation, Harry thought as he felt his body being warped around in different directions. His skin and bones seemed to stretch to the point of breaking and then...it stopped.  


"Ahhh, Harry Potter...we meet again. Although you seemed to have aged a good decade."  


Harry could hear, but he couldn't see, he was blind!

No, he realized after a second as he moved around on the damp floor. He had his eyes closed (A/N: Ever do that? Neither have I.). 

Slowly he opened them, he was in a dark room with a cobblestone floor, white walls, and a desk. Sitting in the desk was none other then Wormtail, waving his silvery right hand cheerfully.  


"Pettigrew," Harry snarled, "I should have let Remus and Sirius kill you."  


Peter Pettigrew laughed, "Ahh, but Harry Potter, I'm going to kill you."  


__

Where's Arabella and Hobbes? Harry wondered, they should be here by now...  


"If you think your dear Arabella and Hobbes will come you are absolutely wrong." Pettigrew's lips twisted into a contorted smile, "I do know how to seal my own Gateway."  


"Scum," Calvin said blithely.  


"What did you say to the Dark Lord's _chosen_ supporter?" Pettigrew replied waving his silver hand, emphasizing the word "chosen".  


"Chosen?" Calvin replied mockingly, "You chopped off your arm to bring him back and betrayed your friends and had them killed or sent to Azkaban. You sicken me."  


Pettigrew's eyes flared and picked up his wand menacingly.  


"Oh yeah," Calvin replied, "Like Mr. Silver Hand Suck-Up is gonna be able to curse me. Why the spell would probably come out the wrong end, you walking flea condo!"  


Peter went as red as a tomato, "Why you little-"  


"I'm not little," Calvin replied, "You're little, you freak."  


Pettigrew raised his wand menacingly, and Harry suddenly reacted on instinct, he pulled out his wand, aimed at Pettigrew and fired off a Stunning Spell, just as Wormtail yelled out "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
Pettigrew's shot went high and smashed into the wall, turning it into smoldering rubble. Harry's curse hit Pettigrew right in the stomach and bowled him over, Stunned. Calvin breathed a sigh of relief.  


"Good Gryffindor," he said as he exhaled, "Harry, you could've fired _before_ he was ready to kill me, I mean for cripe's sake, I had him _completely_ distracted! Or Hermione, you could've shot!"  


Hermione rolled her eyes and held up her wand, which was broken nearly in half, "I tried, but this broke when I landed on it."  


Sheepishly, Calvin nodded, "Well, anyway, I believe we have one "Boss Wormtail" to take care of."  


Hermione grinned magnificently, "Yeah, we do."  


Harry went over to Wormtail's desk, hoping to find instructions on how to open the Gateway, of course, there were none.  
Hermione was racking her brain while she pointed her wand at the walls in various places muttering spells and charms. She even tried to curse the wall once using the Jelly-Legs Curse.  


Finally she said, "I just don't get it, it won't work at all."  


Harry was suddenly struck by inspiration, "Pettigrew wasn't that great at magic was he?"

  
Hermione nodded her head.  


"Then Herm, maybe you _don't_ need a wand to open it!"  


Calvin snapped his fingers, "Of course, great idea Harry!" Calvin walked over to the opposite wall, and was about to say something, when Hermione yelled, "You git! We got out this way!"  


Calvin just winked, turned to the wall and yelled out, "_Open sesame!_"  


Immediately the wall split open to show Remus and Sirius chained against the wall wearing only harsh sackcloth for clothing. The dye in Sirius' hair had slightly gone out making his hair seem oddly tiger-striped, red and black. Remus, on the other hand looked sort of green, and nearly deathly ill.  


Hermione spent on a millisecond looking at them in awe, but then whipped out her wand and muttered a few charms and the chains fell off them. They then collapsed to the floor, and Sirius moaned.  


"Sirius?" Harry said running towards his fallen godfather, "Are you OK?"

  
In reply Sirius Black just groaned again and ran a hand through his dirty hair.   


Hermione stared at Calvin in awe, "How did you know?"  


Calvin grinned smugly, "I don't do that bad in Divination, I just don't brag about it like Lav and Parvati."   


Hermione nodded and ran over to help Lupin, who was vomiting heavily on the floor. She did a Cleaning Spell on the throw-up and then went over to Remus and gently touched his forehead, "He's burning up."

  
Sirius choked, "Pettigrew, the" he hacked again, "rat-tail little prat. Near starved us to death. Lucky he couldn't do much of a Cruitatus Curse, or Remus'd be dead. Wasn't gonna give him Wolfsbane either. Was just going to let him kill me."  


"Be quiet, Sirius, you'll strain yourself. It's me Harry."  


"Harry?" Sirius asked, "Where are you?"  


Harry looked directly into his godfather's face, "I'm right here, Sirius, can't you see me?" Harry hoped it was his looks that were throwing off Sirius, nothing more.  


"No," Sirius said confused, "In fact, everything's rather gray..."  
Harry gently grabbed the sackcloth robes Sirius was wearing, and gave them a slight tug. "Can you feel that?"  


Sirius nodded, and Calvin came up to him, "Mr. Black?"  


"Who's that?" Sirius croaked, "Your voice is rather familiar, but I cannot place it."  


"I'm Calvin," Calvin said simply, "Now what _can_ you see?"  


"Shadows," Sirius responded, "Not much else."  


Calvin turned to Harry, "He's going blind, only Madam Pomfrey can help him now. Conjure up a stretcher would you?" With that Calvin walked over to the wall where the Gateway had been.  


Harry tried to remember the spell for conjuring a stretcher for a few moments then performed it flawlessly.  


A stretcher appeared, and Harry gently helped Sirius into it, ("_Wingardium Leviosa_.") After spotting Harry, Hermione did the same for Remus.

  
Calvin, meanwhile, began swearing at the other side of the room, "_Open sesame!_" hadn't worked on the Gateway, he began trying alternatives as he kicked and screamed at the wall, "_Open up! Get open! Lumos! Voldemort! Pettigrew Rules! Oh let me out of here!_"  


The gateway shimmered a little.  


"Was that it?" Calvin asked incredulously. Harry and Hermione walked up next to him carrying their "patients" on their stretchers.  


Hermione nodded, "I think so."  


Calvin tentatively put his hand on the Gateway...and it sucked him in. Harry blinked.  
"I s'pose we should go together, hmm Harry?" Hermione asked.  


Harry nodded and they walked through.  
  
"You're OK!" Arabella gasped as Harry and Hermione walked through, carrying Remus and Sirius on their stretchers. Remus moaned.  


"Remus!" Arabella yelled and she rushed over to Remus' stretcher and gave him a kiss, "Are you all right honey?"  


"B-Bella?" Remus managed to croak out.  


Arabella ran her fingers across Remus' forehead, "Yes, it's Bella."  


Hobbes grinned as he saw Arabella and Remus, but then turned to Harry, Calvin, and Hermione, "Where's Pettigrew?"  


For a second Harry was confused, then realization dawned on him, "He's still in the Gateway..."  


Hobbes looked at the Gateway, "I'll get him. What's the spell to get out?"  
"No spell," Hermione answered, "Just say 'Oh, let me out of here!" and it'll work."

  
Hobbes nodded. He walked into the Gateway, and returned a few seconds later with Pettigrew suspended in mid-air, "Let's go get Ron."  


Harry nodded and they ran back to where Ron was. As Arabella was the only one without a stretcher, she conjured up one and Levitated Ron it. 

  
Harry breathed a sigh of relief as they walked out into the warm Los Angeles air, slum or not. It was much better being outside then in Wormtail's hideout. Wordlessly, Arabella pulled out the Quikgo.  


"_Why hello there once again,  
You seemed to have picked up a few new friends.  
I wonder where you wish to go,  
Hopefully not a place with snow,  
So, tell me where,  
To go, and I'll take you there.  
Faster then a flame eats a candle wick,  
It'll be quick, so please don't get sick!_"  


"Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts Castle, near Hogsmeade, England."  


"_Ahh ahh ahhh_," spake the Quikgo chidingly, "_I can take you from Hogwarts, but alas not inside, perhaps the Hogwarts-Hogmeade border_?"  


Hobbes nodded, "Yes."  


There was the usual clap of thunder and a pink light enveloped them all, once again.  
  
Hermione stumbled back in Harry's arms, and he instinctively wrapped them around Hermione. Next to him he heard Sirius laugh slightly. Harry sent him a quizzical look, "You can see?"  


"A little bit, Harry. Like I said, just shadows. And I see Harry and Hermione Potter as they'll look in ten years."  


Hermione cleared her throat nervously, "Um, Sirius. I'm Hermione Granger, remember?"  


"Of course," Sirius said grinning, "But you won't be for long!"  


"Cut it out Sirius," Hobbes said as he came up grinning, "You nearly scared off Lily and James doing that."  


"And _what_ happened Hobbes? I believe they were married and Lily had Harry?"  


Hobbes rolled his eyes, "Sirius, you also thought Lucius Malfoy and Bella were written in the stars."  


"OK," Sirius admitted, "I was wrong on one count."  


"More then one," Hobbes said, his grin getting wider, "You were _sure_ Mundungus and Rachel were in love, and that I would fall for Devon Harritiger."  


"She was the only tigress at Hogwarts! Give me a break!"  


Hobbes was about to retort when Arabella cleared her throat. "I _strongly_ suggest we get these people _back_ to Hogwarts."  


There was no arguing.


	22. The Return of Gred and Forge

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twenty Three-The Return of Gred and Forge

Disclaimer: Bill Watterson and U.P.S. own _Calvin and Hobbes_. Joanne Kathleen Rowling and Warner Brothers own _Harry Potter._ I highly suggest you see the motion picture version of HP. A great, true-to-the-book job, even if there is no Peeves. A bit more romance here then usual. God bless you indeed.  


That night Harry was unable to get much sleep, the second Diagon Alley trip would leave at noon the next morning, but Harry didn't really want to go. Last night Madam Pomfrey told him Sirius might never regain his sight. That was terrifying to Harry. Yeah, bad things had happened to him. But Sirius didn't deserve this, he'd already had twelve years in Azkaban. Sure, finding Pettigrew was getting his godfather released. He wouldn't have to live with Remus, but would live with his godfather. That was good, but...  


"CRAP!" Calvin's voice rang out, derailing Harry's chain of thought. This was followed by the sound of rushing water, Neville's sleepy cry of "It wasn't me, Professor Snape!", Hobbes' laughter, and...Fred and George Weasley shouting out a word that they would _never_ under any circumstances want McGonagall and Snape to hear!  


Forgetting Sirius' and his' troubles, Harry bounded out of bed.  


"What the-?"

  
The entire fifth year boys' dormitory was flooded. Blueish-green water swirled everywhere. It was now at the level of the top of the mattress on Harry's four-poster and continued to rise. Harry looked incredulously at Calvin, Hobbes and the twins who were all either yelling random orders at the awakening Gryffindor boys or yelling at the others to shut up so the Gryffindors wouldn't wake up.  


Harry waded across over to them, "What in the name of Godric, Helga, Rowena, and Salazar _are _you doing?"  


George grinned, "It was a nice..."  


"...surprise for all of you brave, chivoulrus Gryffindors..." Fred continued.  


"...for not blowing up the castle..."  


"...so we could do it later."  


Harry sniggered, then abruptly stopped, "Your not really going to are you?" Harry didn't think they would, but with Gred and Forge...who knew?

  
"Of course not," Fred said, looking slightly insulted.  


"Although it's not a bad idea," added George.  


Harry grinned, "So how do we clean this mess up?"  


"Prefect Hermione Granger here," Hermione yelled out suddenly, while banging on the Gryffindor fifth-year dorms' door, "What's going on in there?"  


"Uh, nothing!" Calvin called out.  


"Then why are you guys yelling?" Hermione paused then asked again, this time more suspiciously, "Then why do I hear rushing water?"

  
Fred grinned guiltily, "Go back to the your dorm, Most High Prefect! Your skills of deduction amaze us lower life-forms."  


"Fred!" Hermione yelled, "Your back! Is George there too?"  


At this point the rest of the Gryffindor boys had woken up and were splashing each other and laughing.  


George looked at his brother dissaprovingly, "Excellent job brother," then louder, "Yes, I'm here!"  


Hermione then yelled back, "I'm gonna come in, are you guys decent?"  


"Yeah!" Harry yelled back.  


Hermione then opened the door with magic and ran in, "Fred, George!", and then abruptly stopped, the water was heading out the door. Hurriedly, she slammed the door shut with the Closing Charm, and waded over where everyone was.

  
After giving Fred and George a "welcome back" hug, and Harry a slightly longer hug, she turned on Fred and George, "Now, what happened?"

  
"Nothing," Fred said in an angelic voice, "Water just..."  


"...rushed out of the...," George continued.  


"Er, ceiling," Fred finished, "Perfectly normal."  


"I'm sure," Hermione said, "One point from Gryffindor each, and detentions tomorrow."  


The twins nodded.  


"Now," Hermione continued, "We need to figure out how the heck we're going to get rid of this water..."  


Ron, who had just been splashed heavily by Seamus, grinned, "You mean our favorite know-it-all doesn't know something?"  


Hermione rolled her eyes, "Somebody curse him."  


Grinning widely, George Weasley put Ron in a full Body-Bind.  


Hermione grinned and then suddenly her eyes lit up, "I've got it!"  


"What have you got?" Calvin asked.

"I hope it's not contagious!" Fred and George sang out on cue.  


Hermione whipped out her wand and yelled "_Draughtola!_"  


Instantly the entire room dried out.  


"Hey," Dean complianed, "You took away all the water!"  
  
The return of the Weasley twins set off a good month of solid pranks. It being March people were starting to go outside for walks more often, especially couple people and Fred and George made the best of it. Ron and Cho came back from one such encounter with the twins covered with moldy apples that enchanted trees had thrown down on them. After seeing Calvin and Hermione play in one practice, the twins also reluctantly gave up their Quidditch spots ("It wasn't what we were meant for anyway.") and took over the announcer's spot from Ron, who gladly acqeuisced.  


Ron continued to work with his elemental hand, which was rather under-developed as he had only used it once. He was able to do Minimal spells with every element, but Intermediate and Extreme level element charms left him confused. After he _finally_told Cho, she bragged to her Ravenclaw friends about how her boyfriend literally spat fire. Needless to say, Ron became rather popular.  


In Hobbes' Defense Against the Dark Arts class the students were braught up to date on the Grindelwald Curse episode.   


Sirius was freed by Minister Percy Weasley after questioning Pettigrew and Sirius under Veritaserum. Sirius told Harry that he planned on buying a new home in Liverpool, or New Hogsmeade.

  
The wizarding world, alerted by Albus Dumbledore to look for any useage of the Fifth Curse. Harry continued to have no dreams about Voldemort, and his parents never visited him. This was all rather confusing because Voldemort's wand should have regenerated by January or February.

  
But good news eventually game in the middle of April:

  
It was an excellent day for Quidditch practise, the sky was clear, the sun was out and shining, and the wind was light. Harry was working with the Chasers on a few new moves he had picked up in the "Quidditch Today" column in the _Daily Prophet_ and they mainly concentrated on throwing the Quaffle so it would curve, and Lee was acting as Keeper. Hermione and Calvin were beating a Bludger back and forth, when Harry noticed that was a rather large rumbling sound not so far off.

  
Turning around, (and nearly getting hit by Alicia's wayward Quaffle) Harry saw a small army of giants led by no one other then,   


"HAGRID!" Harry and Hermione whooped joyously. 

Followed enthusisacticly by the rest of the Gryffindors, they landed and ran up to Hagrid. Hagrid gave Harry and Hermione each bear-hugs that just about cracked every part in their vertebrae, but they didn't care.  


"So you did it! You got the giants!" Harry bubbled with enthusiam.

  
Hagrid nodded, "That I did, 'Arry, tha' I did. O' course Madam Maxime helped 'o lot as well, and she's still up there 'elpin' 'em get ready ter fight."

  
"That's great!" Hermione said grinning her best grin. Harry felt his knees go weak. Mmmmmmmm, he could just imagine kissing those perfect lips. Hagrid followed Harry's gaze and chuckled, "'Ey 'Arry, always figgered you'd fall for 'er."  


Harry blushed red, "Um, well..."  


Hermione, who also had turned a rather starking shade of red, "Well..."  


"I gotter ter see Dumbledore," Hagrid said with a wink, "Continue on with yer Quidditch practice, then I'll be setting up the giants at the gates."  


Harry nodded and Hagrid saundered over to the castle and the giants followed him.  


Lee grinned, "That's gonna make a quite an impression on a few people. Giants roaming Hogwarts."  


Hermione nodded, "I'll bet some people pull their kids from school because of it."  


Harry grimly nodded, "It's for the better though."  
  
Few people actually did pull their kids from Hogwarts. The Creeveys almost pulled Colin and Dennis, but when the brothers responded in letters saying they'd run away if they were pulled, they gave in. Most of the kids pulled were from Ravenclaw. Ron feared that Cho might have to leave, but she reassured him. That night came back into the common room with suspicious looking lip-shaped red marks on his lips and face. As Fred and George laughed, Harry was glad Hermione didn't wear make up. She looked rather perfect without it anyway.  


Hermione, catching Harry's eye and reading his thoughts leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Harry blushed, and Hermione moved over so Harry could his arm around her. Natururally he did.  


Then the room began spinning and Harry blacked out but not before he heard Hermione whisper, "It's gone."  


__

Harry looked down. He had apparantly fallen off the couch and Hermione was attempting to revive him. The twins rushed over along with Calvin and Ron, all of them looking worried. Mmmmm, Harry wished he was consiocous so he could feel her lips...  


"Harry get your mind out of the gutter," James Potter said, grinning as his son jumped up in surprise.  


"Sorry Dad," Harry said sheepishly.  


Lily smiled, "It's not like we never kissed at Hogwarts, James."  


__

James rolled his eyes, "In any event there's more important things to talk about. Harry, we've decided it's time to tell you. As you figured, Lord Voldemort has been blocking your dreams."  


Harry nodded.

"And so," James continued, "We were given the chance to talk to you, give you information and to help you." James paused, "But the spell Voldemort used can only be cast once, and it's fading, so..." James was nearly jerking back tears, "This'll...this...it'll....we won't see you again for a long time."  


Harry was stunned, "No," he whispered.  


Lily had tears free-falling down her face as well, "Yes, Harry. I love you. Come her and give us a hug."  


Harry ran into his mother and father's arms and burrowed as close to them as possible. After he kissed his mum and dad, he looked up at them, "I love you both so much."  


Lily and James nodded, and let go. Harry felt himself get pulled down into his body.  


Harry's body lurched, and Hermione sighed in relief. Harry suddenly noticed he was crying and he didn't care. Hermione looked at him with sympathy as Harry got up and sat down on the couch. He placed his face in his hands, "They're gone...they're gone."

  
And then Harry Potter's scar flamed up in pain and Harry felt like his head was going to split open.  


__

"So, the spell has ended my Lord?" Macnair asked.  


Lord Voldemort nodded and twirled his wand in his fingers, "Yes."  


Lucius Malfoy slowly approached the Dark Lord.  


"Malfoy," Voldemort hissed.  


Malfoy prostrated himself on the ground.  


"Get up," the Dark Lord said lazily.  


Malfoy solemly raised himself from the floor and looked around.  


"Are we ready?" It was not a question.  


"Yes, milord." Malfoy answered mechancily.  


"So Cornelius will be with us, along with the dementors, and one other thing," Voldemort grinned devilishly as he dangled the silver vial that hung around his neck.  


Lucius was stunned, "How did you...?"  


"Never mind how," Lord Voldemort said sharply, "Is everyone capable of using all the Grindewalds except for the one we haven't found yet?"  


Malfoy nodded, "Well, except the Fifth Curse of course."  


"Naturally, I would not trust anyone but myself with that power. After we have taken Hogwarts I shall use it to slowly destory the Muggle cities. It might even start nuclear wars between some of them. That would be rather amusing, would it not? Besides, it would make our job easier."

  
Malfoy nodded, "The fool Dumbledore thinks he is safe."  


Voldemort laughed, a cold heartless laugh, then abruptly he stopped, "They do have the giants though. My loyal Snape has delivered that information to me..."  


Macnair looked worried, "Milord, how can we trust him. He worked for Dumbledore!"  


Voldemort shook his head, "Unsubstainated. Cover-up. Probably a Ministry creation to allow Dumbledore to save Frank Longbottom's cousin some face. Severus always did hate his cousin...Now, we must plan. Our troops will encircle Hogwarts, giving the Kiss to whoever gets in the way. I would say Dumbledore will keep the giants out front. Our main core will be to kill whatever we see, whenever we see it. Eventually we will..."

  
Harry Potter woke up screaming, 

"AUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"  


As he looked into Ron, Hermione, and Calvin's terrified faces, Harry Potter knew there was one thing to do.  


"Let's go to Dumbledore."  
  
"Curious," Dumbledore said, "He did plan it logically...but he may be bluffing."  


"What?" Harry protested.  


"He might be purposely inserting himself into your dreams."

  
"You can do that?" Harry asked incredulously.  


"Oh yes," Dumbledore responded, "Dream Insert Curses are used by Dark wizards occaisonally, but are uncommon due to the fact that it takes as long as fifteen hours of total concentartion and knowledge of several languages."  


"Oh," Harry answered.  


"In any event Harry," Dumbledore continued, "Be wary of your dreams. You and Miss Granger can go, I have business with Mr. Weasley."  


Harry and Hermione nodded and walked out.  
  
Harry held his arm around Hermione, "I'm confused."  


Hermione smiled, "The Boy Who Lived, Harry James Potter is _confused ?"  
_

Harry tickled Hermione's side and she started laughing hysterically and yelling at him to stop it. Eventually Harry complied.  


"I'm serious Herms, it's...well weird."  


"What's weird?"   


"Well, think about it, Voldemort may be planning to attack the school...or maybe not. Maybe he's just trying to make us _think_ he's going to attack the school, and maybe he's going to use the Fifth Curse again. I just don't know." _  
_

Hermione nodded, "We _do_ seem to run into our good share of trouble don't we?"  


Harry grinned, "Yeah, and my mum and dad saying I'm not going to see them for a long time..."  


"And," Hermione said raising her eyebrows, "We _still_ don't know what Fred and George were trying to do when they lost their memory."  


Harry smiled, "Yeah, that too, Ron and Calvin have been trying to weasel it out of them since they came back, but to no avail."  


Hermione grinned, "Weaseling something from the Weasley's? Was that a pun, Mr. Potter?"  


Harry sniggered, "'Fraid not, Miss Granger. In any event, we need to go to Quiddicth practice as our match with Slytherin is soon and will probably decided the House Cup, Voldemort or not."  


Hermione nodded.  
  
"Allllllll right, and welcome to the final, last, final, end," ("Get to the point Weasley," McGonagall snapped. "Yes, Professor." Ron answered.) "Quidditch match of the season, the glorious, grandiose, great, and..."  


"Weasley!"  


"Er, sorry Professor, Gryffindor verus the slimely, stinky, soul-sucking, simian..."  


"MR. WEASLEY IF YOU DO NOT STOP THIS BIASED COMMENTARY YOU WILL BE IN DETENTION WITH MR. FILCH UNTIL YOU ARE FORTY-THREE!"  


"Um, yes, Professor McGonagall. Er, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, last match of the year. Will decide the Quidditch Cup for certain, and probably the House Cup as well. The Slytherins will mainly a size advantage in muscle but not in brains as their about the size of Snape's...("WEASLEY!" McGonagall screamed, cutting Ron off. "Just kidding Professor...")  


"Er, anyway, Gryffindor led by Potter and Granger, known throughout the school as the Perfect and Prefect Couple, ("WEASLEY! SURRENDER THE MEGAPHONE!" "I'm just stating facts, Professor.") As well as former announcer Lee Jordan at Keeper and Calvin Arrow at the other Beater slot."  


Harry felt his face go red as he walked out on to the pitch and heard Ron's commentary. One of these days...  


"The former Beaters, Fred and George Weasley resigned their posts awhile ago, and they aren't here today. Well know fact, Arrow and the beautious bookworm Granger," McGonagall's death glare was easily outmatched by Hermione's and Ron gave an embarrassed cough, "Anyway, Malfoy and Harry go out to shake hands...there we go..."

  
Harry almost felt his knuckles crack under the pressure Draco exerted on them. Idly, Harry wondered why Malfoy had cracked in Defense Against the Dark Arts and at the Winter Ball and hadn't been expelled. Surely Dumbledore had a good reason...  


"Both teams," Madam Hooch said stuffily, "Mount your brooms!"  


Harry and Draco nodded. Fourteen players leapt on theur brooms...  


And only seven took to the air.  


The missing seven players, otherwise known as the Slytherin Quidditch team completely vanished. For a slpit second Harry had only one thought..._Voldemort_. Then he heard Ron laughing his head off, and remembered what Ron had just said in his commentary, _the twins weren't at the game, which meant that..._  


Harry locked eyes with Hermione and as if on cue, they both began grinning, grinning turned into sniggering, and sniggering turned into hysterical laughter. Soon the entire stadium was in hysterics except for the Slytherins, who were screaming for revenge, Professor McGonagall, who was trying rather unsuccessfully to get a straight answer out of Ron, and Madam Hooch who was yelling, 

"GRYFFINDOR FORFIETS! SLYTHERIN WINS!"

  
It was the last bit from Madam Hooch that made Harry's eyes go wide, 

"Forfeit?!" he yelled incredulously as he landed his broom.  


Madam Hooch nodded stoutly as the Gryffindors landed all of them looking angered except for Hermione.  


"Why do we forfiet?" Calvin inquired, "You have absoulutely_ zero_ evidence that the Gryffindors had anything to do with this!"  


"The _entire_ Slytherin team is whisked away, and the Gryffindor team remains. That's enough evidence Mister Arrow!" Madam Hooch said staring Calvin down.

  
Despite the Gryffindor team's attempts to convince Madam Hooch that they had absoulutely nothing to do the sudden disappearance of the Slytherins, she stuck to her ruling of a Slytherin victory and the crowd roared it's disapproval.  


The Slytherins, on the other hand were cheering louding and jeering at the fans of the other three houses who were shouting insults back while the teachers tried to maintain order. The Slytherins had apparently forgotten that their Quidditch team was missing, or didn't care and Harry was more then willing to bet on the latter.  


As he turned to Hermione, Harry yelled angrily, "Can you believe that? Letting Slytherin win the Cup?"   


"Harry," Hermione said in a soothing motherly voice, "Rules are rules and I'm sure the twins had something to do with it, and so we deserved it."

  
"Oh great!" Harry shouted, "Take her side why don't you!"  


Hermione looked at Harry in surprise, "Harry, what's wrong it's only Quidditch..."  


"It's not fair, and your taking that," Harry made a comment he would later have regretted if Madam Hooch had heard it, "side and your a Gryffindor!"

  
By now, the team and stopped trying to "peacefully" convince Madam Hooch that she was wrong, and were watching Harry and Hermione fight.  


"Harry, is Quidditch really that important?" Hermione asked, "Come on, we just lost a game, no big..."  


Knowing that he'd wish he'd never done it later, Harry cut off Hermione in the middle of the sentence, "Yeah, it does matter! OK? Try not to be such a stuffy know-it-all..." Harry trailed off, _Oh great, smooth move Potter..._  


"_Harry James Potter!_" Hermione trilled, "How could you..."  


Harry knew that the best thing to do was to admit his mistake and say he was sorry, but his pride was at stake.  


"See you later, Hermi," he said stiffly and left. Everyone watched Harry's retreating back as he walked off the pitch.  
  
"Harry?"   


Harry tried to ignore the voice as he hid in the shadows. He should have known Hermione would find him here, after all they had spent a good portion of time in their second year in here with Ron trying to figure out who was the Heir of Slytherin.   


"Harry, are you there?"  


Harry sighed. One he knew that he couldn't stay in here forever, Moaning Mrytle, the resident ghost of the out of order girls' lavatory would probably appear sometime. Harry was rather lucky that she didn't happen to haunting her toilet at the moment. Harry also knew that Mrytle had a small..._crush_ on hi,, if she found him her her toilet...he suddered.

  
"Harry? I'm leaving..."  


For a few milliseconds Harry wrestled with his pride. Should he keep his pride or Hermione...pride or Hermione...  


"Hermione! What!"  


Harry had just heard Hermione about to the close the door, and the sound stopped.  


"Harry? Where are you?"  


Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Harry walked out of the girl's stall and looked at Hermione who was still wearing her Quidditch robes.  


"Hermione," Harry began, shoving his pride down his throat.  


"Yes," she answered expectantly.  


Harry heaved a sigh, "I'm sorry Hermione."  


Hermione looked at Harry, "Harry was Quidditch _really_ that important to you?"  


Harry looked down, "I know I was wrong Hermione, forgive me."  


Hermione nodded, "I forgive you Harry, I do, but I mean..."  


"I'm sorry," Harry said walking towards her, "I made too much of it and I wish I hadn't insulted you."  


Hermione sighed, "Harry, it's not so much that you called me a 'know-it-all', it was your manner. You screamed at me over a...Quidditch game?"  


Harry felt guilty, one of these days he knew, he was going to have to listen to those quiet nagging doubts of his...  


Hermione leaned forward and kissed Harry on the lips, "It's OK, Harry. It's in the past. But you might want to learn from it."  


Harry nodded and kissed Hermione again. They didn't appear to be ready coming up for air until,  


"GET OUT OF MY TOILET!"  


Harry pulled himself from Hermione and looked at Moaning Myrtle, who was, as usual in tears.  


"Sorry Myrtle," Hermione mumbled, and she grabbed Harry's robes, "Let's go."  


As they walked out they heard Myrtle screaming about "the only one I ever loved."  


Hermione turned to Harry, "Harry, is there something you want to tell me?"  


Harry sniggered, "Nope."  


Hermione's eyes narrowed, but Harry caught a playful glint in them, "Because if you've been going out with a ghost..."  


Harry laughed and kissed Hermione briefly on the cheek.

  
"Your not entirely off the hook for yelling at me yet, Harry?" Hermione reminded him with a grin.  


"OK," he sighed, "What am I going to have to do?"  
Hermione smiled mischiveously, "Hermione Granger Study Schedule again," Harry groaned, "and maybe you could help me write something for the _Daily Prophet_ about S.P.E.W."  


Harry sighed, next time was going to pay a lot of attention to those thoughts that told him he was being stupid...  


"All right," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender and then slipping them around her waist.

  
"Are you trying to kiss me again, Potter?"  


"Mmmm hmmm," Harry said, and he kissed her.  


Harry rubbed Hermione's back as they kissed, and he noticed how good her lips felt on his, and warm she was, and...  


KABOOM!  


The hall rocked Harry and Hermione conked heads. Harry was thrown violently on the floor, and barely stopped himself with his elbow. As he got up he noticed something rather strange.  


Everything was upside down.  


"Oh great," Harry heard Hermione's voice.  


All right, Harry though to himself, if you make a move the world will go right up again. Harry slowly got up to a standing position.   


Nothing happened.  


__

Maybe I have to take a step.  


Harry cautiously put one foor forward.  


Nothing happened except for the fact that Harry's body had gone about six inches in a northern direction in time and space.  


"It must have been the twins," Harry heard a voice mutter beside him. Harry turned and saw Hermione, also standing on the ceiling.  


"What was it?"  


Hermione shrugged, "It could have been anything. In 1166 in Hogsmeade the entire flipped over for a few seconds as a result of a Equioxitic Charm performed by Udall the Unreal and his followers."  


"Thank you Professor Granger," Harry said grinning. Hermione looked so beautiful when she was in deep thought.  


Hermione's eyes flashed at Harry, "Harry, do you _ever_ want to stay on my good side?"  


"Erm, sorry Herms," Harry said looking down at his feet.  


Hermione smiled, showing her beautiful, straight, pearl-white teeth, 

"Harry, I was _joking_, I forgave you and it's in the past, OK?"  


Harry nodded, "So the heck are we going to get out of here?"  


Hermione bit her lip, "Well, it's possible that the effects were limited to a certain area, so if we just keep walking forward maybe the world will turn-over again."  


Harry nodded, "Makes sense."  


As they continued on, Harry slipped his arm around Hermione's waist.  


Hermione sniggered, "Even now, with the world literally upside-down, you have to try and be a romantic."  


Harry laughed and pulled Hermione closer, wrapped his other around and as their lips began to touch...  


"GANGWAY! MAYDAY! AGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!"

  
Harry and Hermione broke apart. Harry whipped his head around to see what was going on and found Calvin Arrow coasting on the stone ceiling wearing old Muggle Rollerblades and heading at them at extremly high velocity.  


Harry was later thankful for pure instinct, as he dove out of the way and crashed into the wall. Hermione dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way. Quickly she got up and whipped out her want and yelled "_Haltia!_"  


Calvin immediately stopped, and teetered over, tried to regain his balance, but his Rollerblades slipped and he ended up in a heap on the stone ceiling. Harry and Hermione rushed over to help him.  


"Uggghhh..." Calvin held up a hand to his head, "That hurt."  


"I'm not surprised," Hermione said, flinching at the sight of a cut on his forehead.   


"You OK, Calvin?"  


Calvin nodded, "Thanks Hermione. I see you two have made up."  


"How'd you know?" Harry asked, then felt rather stupid as Calvin _had_ been heading straight towards them.  


"When you see two people about to start snogging, I'd say very well that they aren't mad at each other," Calvin grinned, as he slipped off his Rollerblades.  


"Why are you taking them off?" Harry asked wrinkling his nose at the sight of Calvin's grayish colored socks. Odds were they had once been white, but Calvin apparently hadn't washed them for awhile...  


As a way of reply Calvin held up one Rollerblade where the front wheel had a huge chunk taken out of it.

  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione said, "I didn't mean to do that. Here I'll fix it..."  


"Don't bother," Calvin waved her off, "I haven't had much luck on skates since the time I was going down a steep hill, yelled out to Hobbes 'How do I stop?', and he replied 'Turn into a gravel driveway and fall down!'"  


Harry and Hermione simultaniously burst into fits of laughter, and began holding on to each other for support, "And-and you d-did it?" Harry managed to choke out.  


"Shut up," Calvin said, but now a smile was beginning to creep in on his face, "Yes, I did it. I was a trusting six-year old who didn't know he was a wizard. Give me a break, willya?"  


Harry and Hermione took awhile to stop laughing, and Harry felt as though he was going to die. He was having trouble breathing, and his sides ached, but he finally managed to calm down.  


"Anyway," Calvin said, and they got up and Harry replaced his arm around Hermione, "Do you know what happened?"  


Harry and Hermione shook their heads, and Calvin grinned, "It was, naturally Fred and George. They reverseed the polarity of everyone's gravity in the castle. Just the people. Apparently that was what they were working on when they lost their memories."  
Harry groaned, "You mean _everyone's_ like this?"  
Calvin flashed a wicked smile, "Well, except the good old Slytherin Quidditch team of course. Guess were the Portkeys sent them?"  
"I don't know, and I know your going to tell us," Hermione said with a quick smile.  
"Your right," Calvin said, "I will. The Astronomy tower, were Fred and George happened to be waiting with a few kneazles that Hagrid interbred with cats. They happened to be a little overly aggressive," a grin from Harry and Hermione, "And they got scratched up pretty bad. Not to mention poor ickle Malfoykins' broom got all chewed up by the kneazle-cats, and was tossed out the conviently open window. Right on the Whomping Willow, this was followed by the shreading of the entire set of finely hand-made Slytherin Quidditch robes. The chewing of just about every broom tail. And none of them'll fly right, so they were also thrown into the Willow by a very mad Malfoy," Calvin grimaced, "We still lost the match for it, _and_ eighty-five points from Gryffindor. But I think it was well worth it."

  
"Well that explains one thing, what about the reversal of gravitational polarity?" Hermione asked gesturing at the floor which was really the ceiling.  


Calvin nodded, "Right, let's see. OK, everyone's in the Great Hall because after McGonagall saw Malfoy's broom go flying out the Astronomy Tower window. So, she went up there and Stunned all of the kneazle-cats, much to Hagrid's disappointment," Calvin shivered, 

"They were our next lesson. But man, if they were that aggressive... Anyway, so McGonagall forcibly dragged the twins down to her office were she frisked all of them came up with a little vial filled with some green stuff. The twins yell at her not to open it, but being McGonagall, she does and WHOOSH! Huge explosion rocks the castle and everything's upside down."  


"Nice," Harry commented.  


"Then what are you doing here, Calvin?" Hermione wondered aloud.  


"Oh, er, well...all this wide-open ceiling space. Hobbes snuck me out. No big deal."  


Hermione sighed, "How long are the effects?"  


"Oh....about three hours. After Dumbledore tells everyone what happened, we'll go back to our own seperate common room ceilings, and make sure that the floors are well-cusioned for when we fall."  


Harry grinned.


	23. The Order of the Phoenix

**__**

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twenty Three-The Order of the Phoenix  
**Disclaimer: OK, good news and bad news. Good news is that HP and the KatT was finished before JKR finished _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ and the last chapter will be posted soon. Bad news is that my original idea of making this into a HP/C&H Crossover Trilogy may not be finished before JKR finishes _HP and the OotP_. I'm not even sure if I can finish the sequel to this one in time. So I pose this question to you my readers and reviewers: **Do you think I should continue to write my sixth and seventh years even if JKR beats me to the punch on fifth year plots? **Please in your reviews answer this question. Now, on to the legal stuff, HP is owned by Joanne Kathleen Rowling, a great writer, and Warner Bros., a great movie making company. Calvin and Hobbes is owned by Bill Watterson, a great cartoonist, and Universal Press Syndicate, a great newspaper syndicator. :-D **

The weeks and months that followed the Gravity Incident as it was called passed in a flurry.  


Cho and Ron got into a major fight.  


Everyone in fifth year studied for their O.W.L.s in June.

The Weasley twins set fire to Snape's hair and turned Malfoy's hair red and gold.  


Ron and Cho got back together and the twins teased Ron relentlessly about his "social visits" to the Ravenclaw common room that ended up with him coming back more then a tad dazed.  


Calvin tried to walk out of Potions after Snape yelled at him for his Ewquel Solution was "too perfect", and ended up with detentions for three weeks in a row and lost fifty points for Gryffindor.  


Ron and Calvin circulated a petition to have the final Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch game played. They attained over seven hundred signatures (not all of them real, one of Ron's more 'original' names was 'Slytherpuff Gryffinclaw"). Of course, McGonagall threw them out of her office when she saw that one, _and _took off ten more points from Gryffindor.  


Harry had few dreams about Voldemort, but none that came from his scar and had anything to do with the real actions of the Dark Lord.  
To his great amusement and delight, Professor Snape caught Calvin, Hobbes, Ron, Hermione, and Harry playing a game of Calvinball after curfew and fined them a whopping one hundred and fifty points despite Hobbes' attempts to say that since a teacher was with them it was all right.  


Draco Malfoy reportedly tried to strangle Professor Sprout, but there was no real evidence to back up the rumors and allegations.  


So it was obvious that the Gryffindors were in a rather foul mood in June, since the statistics for the House Cup showed: Ravenclaw 2,360, Slytherin 2,350, Hufflepuff 1,785, Gryffindor 237.

  
"It's not fair," Ron said more the millionth time.  


"That's life," Hermione answered philosophically, as she scribbled neatly on her parchment, "Your the one who came up with that nutty petition idea."  


"That wasn't all my fault," Ron snapped back as his quill tip broke and he spilled ink over his History of Magic essay "Explain Exactly In Your Own Advanced Words Why Tigmet The Tyrannical Tried To Establish A Fifth House At Hogwarts", which was a huge bore as Professor Binns had said that there could be no words that utilized less then three letters.  


After fixing his ink spill, Ron began writing, "Let's see: 'Tigmet tried to'-no...'Tigmet attempted establishment of'...no...'The reason'...no...Hermione, how long does this have to be?"  


"Three feet," Hermione answered as she continued working on her sixth written parchment roll.  


"Oh, bother," Ron said as he messed up again, "I'm going to go see Cho, maybe I can copy hers since Hermione Potter here won't let me."  


"Remember to wipe the lipstick off your face this time," Hermione snapped back curtly.   


Ron turned as red as a tomato, and walked out.  


"There," Hermione said, "We've got rid of Mr. Complainer. I dunno how Cho puts up with him."  


Harry kissed Hermione on the cheek, 'Some would say the same of me and you."  


"Which way?" Hermione asked innocently.  


"Both," Hobbes' voice shook both of them, and whipped around.  


"Hobbes," Harry said cheerfully, "How's things?"  


Hobbes shrugged, "Been better. Worried about when Voldemort's going to attack, same as you guys. He'll probably come soon. He knocked out the school in Russia, and took over Black RavenAcademy in Babylon, Iraq. It wasn't exactly on our side, sort of like Durmstrang, but he's taken over most of the world's wizarding schools now."  


Harry nodded, "When it happens though, we'll be ready."  


Hobbes grimly returned the nod.  
_  
It was one o'clock, and most residents of Hogwarts were sleeping when it happened. Death Eaters and dementors Apparated in the wreckage of old Hogsmeade and waited for their leader. When he arrived, they all bowed low to the Dark Lord, a man once known as Tom Riddle, but was now the Evil and Dark Lord Voldemort. His red eyes flickered around at the group of collective evil, and he smiled. Nobody noticed the silver locket dangling around his neck from a chain. Gently he fingered it and his grin got wider. No matter what_ _happened tonight, he would win.  
_

A whisper escaped his mouth, so quiet, but yet so deafening in the ears of his followers, "Let's go."  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  


The screaming of the fifteen-year old Boy-Who-Lived, as he bolted straightup in his four-poster bed awoke all of Gryffindor House, and a substantial quantity of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.  
As worried students and teachers rushed in, Hermione, Calvin, and Ron came to Harry's bedside. He only needed to say four words.  


"Get Dumbledore. It's time."  
  
The first wave of Death Eaters and dementors were met neatly by the giants under Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Mostly dementors were used in this process, which everyone knew was only temporary until Dumbledore could get a contingency plan together.  
  
In Albus Dumbledore's office, he slowly and carefully picked up the Sorting Hat, Fawkes, Hufflepuff's Quill, and the Key.  
  
Professor Sprout's voice echoed through the halls amplified over one hundred times, "ALL STUDENTS THIRD YEAR AND BELOW, ALL STUDENTS THIRD YEAR AND BELOW STAY IN YOUR COMMON ROOMS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ALL STUDENT FOURTH YEAR AND ABOVE REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATELY. I REPEAT THIRD YEARS AND BELOW STAY IN YOUR COMMON ROOMS. FOURTH YEARS AND ABOVE GET TO THE GREAT HALL **_NOW_**!"  
  
Hobbes Siberia slowly got up, looked at his mirror, straightened his wizard's hat, grabbed his wand and with a last glance around his room ran out towards the Great Hall as though Voldemort was after him, as he very well could've been.  
  
Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, Calvin Arrow, and Seamus Finnigan hurriedly got dressed in their robes and ran out into the common room where they met the rest of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh years. They all were frightened, (Neville was whimpering), but all ran out to the Great Hall.  
  
As the giants were slowly pushed back by dementors, Lord Voldemort stood by his right-hand men, Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Peter Pettigrew.  


"Gentleman, I assure you, victory will be ours."  


Malfoy and Pettigrew immediately nodded, Snape was a little slow on the uptake and Lord Voldemort noticed this.   


Voldemort fingered his locket again.  
  
Hagrid burst into the Great Hall, were most of the students of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had now convened, "Professor Dumbledore, we can't hol' too much longer."  


Dumbledore took the news with a nod, "I understand Hagrid. Do what you can," he put his hands on the conference table, "If you have to retreat..." Dumbledore blinked, took a breath and continued, "If you have to retreat, "Then do it."  


Hagrid nodded, "I may have ta, Professor, but I'll try."  


"That's all I ask Hagrid," Dumbledore said gently.  


Hagrid nodded and ran out.

  
Dumbledore turned to face the students, "As you probably suspected, Lord Voldemort is attacking the school. He is on the grounds as we speak."  


A collective gasp rasped from five hundred and sixty throats.  


"As you know we have the giants for defense, but it was not expected that they would do much more then give us time. You must now be prepared to defend your school. I know it is too much to ask of you, and those who wish to go back to their common rooms may go. There will be no puni-"  


__

CRRR-ACK! BOOM!  


The left wall of the Great Hall collapsed. Students screamed. Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Pettigrew, and Snape walked in. Harry looked with hatred at Pettigrew. Lousy scum. Sirius' words came floating back into his mind:  
_"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED, DIED TO PROTECT YOUR FRIENDS AS WE WOULD HAVE FOR YOU!_"  


Ron, who was standing nearby gasped, "Snape's a Death Eater? Good grief!"  


"No, he's not you git," Harry whispered hurriedly back, he was strangely unafraid, "He's not."  


Ron nodded, unconvinced.

  
Voldemort grinned at the looks of terror on the faces of the students. Then he suddenly barked, "Which of you are loyal to me? If you declare your loyalty now, you will not die."  


Without hesitation, thirteen Slytherins, among them Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson strode up to the Dark Lord and bowed.  


"Excellent," Voldemort said, and he drew out his wand with a flourish.  


__

Where's Dumbledore? Harry thought, craning his neck to watch the Headmaster, he had placed Fawkes, the Sorting Hat, and Hufflepuff's Quill on the table. _The Order of the Phoenix._ Harry smiled, Lord Voldemort didn't know it, but his reign was going to come up to an end in a few minutes...  


The Sorting Hat was on Fawkes' left, the Quill on his right. They were slowly inching towards each other...Fawkes began glowing a beautiful shiny gold...the Sorting Hat and Quill seemed to melt into Fawkes as he slowly morphed into a small golden monolith. Voldemort was still talking to the Slytherins..._Only a few minutes more..._Harry thought.

  
Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Order of Merlin; First Class, and Supreme Mugwump slowly lifted Salazar Slytherin's Key to the Monolith. As soon as it touched the Golden Monolith, it was sucked in.  
Harry watched and blinked. Nothing had happened.  


"So," Voldemort was saying, "No more supporters? Well we'll see soon, _Cruicomuli_-"  


The entire Great Hall was filled with deafening phoenix song.  


Harry clamped his hands over his ears and stared at Voldemort. He was trembling, now he had fallen, he was writhing on the ground screaming. 

Alongside him were Lucius Malfoy and Pettigrew. Every Death Eater was on the ground, but not everyone of them yelled out. The dementors stood there silently. Harry figured they were probably happy to be feeding off of the emotions of terror from the Death Eaters. Funny thing Harry thought, that he wasn't on the ground writhing like that, a few Slytherins and a Ravenclaw who hadn't gone up were though.

  
Harry noticed Voldemort was saying something, muttering some sort of incantation. Looking around, Harry saw nobody seemed to have noticed it. 

Life was like slow motion as Harry parted through the crowd and tried to reach Voldemort before he finished whatever he was doing...almost there. A few more rows of people...  


A blue flash.  


Silence.  


Complete silence. The phoenix song stopped just as Harry got right in front of Voldemort. He was too stunned to do anything. He turned over his shoulder to look for Dumbledore, but then a raspy voice forced him to look back at the excuse for a human being in front of him.  


"Harry Potter," Voldemort's face twisted into a smile, "Why how long it's been. Thought you had me beaten eh, well no matter," he picked up his wand, "I won't hesitate this time Potter, _Avada Kedav_-"  


"NO!"  


This was shouted out by the usually timid Ronald Harold Weasley who had come to the front of the crowd. He held his hands out high and quickly brought them down, a look of determination on his face as he yelled out 

"_FIROS MAXIMOTOS!_"   


Jets of red-orange flame erupted from Ron's hands and hit Voldemort square in the chest. For a second his robes got caught on fire, but then it disappeared.  
Voldemort only looked mildly annoyed, "The Friend, I assume? Well then. Hold on for a second, forgive me for doing anything stupid at the moment," He turned his head to the Death Eaters who just starting to stand up, and the dementors, "Get them."  


With a charge of fury the Dark forces ran into the students. Some began to scream, others fought. At the teacher's table Dumbledore, Hobbes, Arabella, Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall, Professor Vector, the man Harry remembered as Mundungus Fletcher, Hagrid, and others jumped down wands drawn to protect Hogwarts. Just as Voldemort was about to turn his attention back to Harry and Ron, Snape appeared.  


"Master," Snape said in his most oily voice, "Let me kill Potter."  


Voldemort nodded.  


Snape wheeled to fac Harry, raised his wand, began to yell "_Avada_-" then jumped around to face the Dark Lord. With an almost amused glint in his red eyes Lord Voldemort moved a hand and Professor Snape flew into a wall, unconscious, "Do you think I wasn't ready for that?"  
  
Calvin and Hermione were working their best to hold off the dementors with their Patrousnes. They were having some intermediate luck, but already one Hogwarts student had suffered a fate worse then death.  
  
Meanwhile, Avery was approaching Neville Longbottom with a fierce grin on his face, he whipped out his wand. Neville tried to summon up what courage he had to hold his wand, but he was shaking.  


Two people saw Neville's predicament and began rushing for him. One was the greatest American Auror of all time, one Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Hobbes Siberia. The other was fifth-year red-haired Ginny Weasley, who had worshiped Harry Potter since the day she heard about him, but was now focused on one thing. _Saving Neville_!  


"Boy," Avery said with a smirk on his face, "You know what I'm going to do? It's going to be painful, and then you're going to die." He laughed cruelly, lifted his wand, and yelled, "_Avada Cruico_!"

  
Ginny put all of her extra energy into what she was about to do, not thinking about it, she leapt in front of Neville and took the hit. "NOOOOO!" She rolled over. She was in complete agony, pain ripped through her body.  
Neville was astounded by what Ginny had just done, it filled his body with bravery and he stood up, pointed his wand at Avery's chest and yelled, "_Expelliarmus!_"  


Avery flew back into a dementor, who turned, lifted his hood and delivered the Dementor's Kiss on him.  


Neville ran over to Ginny. Hobbes was already there, and administrating Pain-Killing Charms.  


"Is there anything you can do?"  


Hobbes shook his head.  


"Let me see her, you're needed."  


Hobbes nodded, and ran off to perform a Patrous Charm just in time to save Colin Creevy and Terry Boot.  
  
Voldemort snarled, "I should have known."  


Dumbledore appeared at Voldemort's side, his blue eyes not gentle but flashing, "But you didn't, did you Tom?"  


"Fool," Voldemort said, but Harry noticed his face was no longer glaring and something else was on it: _fear_.

  
"You don't have to do this Tom," Dumbledore said, putting a hand on Voldemort's shoulder.  


For a brief moment Harry actually saw a look of repentence on the Dark Lord, but he shook Dumbledore's arm off, "_Never._"  


Harry heard a female voice yell out, "NOOOOO!"  


"Ginny!" Ron screamed, and as though Voldemort wasn't there, Ron Weasley tore like heck across the room to get to his little sister.  
  
"_Expecto Patrounm_!" Hermione bellowed, and yet another dementor went away from the person it had been about to Kiss, this one being Angelina Johnson.

  
"This isn't working," Calvin said as he averted his eyes from a sixth-year Ravenclaw being subjected to the Hitlercane Curse.  


Hermione winced, "Yeah, there's got to be something that we can do..."  


Calvin nodded, and turned back. Lucius Malfoy stood there right in front of him.  


"Why hello, how are you, you sure won't be doing fine soon," Malfoy said smirking, and with a flick of his wand subjected Calvin to the Cruitatius Curse. Hermione screamed, and tried to throw a curse at him, but the Death Eater just let it hit him, to no effect.  
  
"Ginny," Neville breathed, "Are you OK?"  


Ginny Weasley winced in pain, "I've been better."  


Neville smiled weakly, "Why?"  


"Why what?" Ginny replied.  


Neville tried to fight back the tears coming into his eyes, but couldn't, "Why did you just sacrifice your self for me?"  


"Because Neville," Ginny gasped, "It's what's right."  


Neville knew that it might just been an infatuation, but with the girl who had saved him lying there in front of dying he knew he had to, "Ginny, I love you."  


Ginny just nodded, "I love you too Neville, tell Ron I love hi-", and her body gave a final jolt and she died.  


Ron Weasley came runing up, at a loss for breath, "What happened to my sister?" he demanded.   
  
Dumbledore stared into the eyes of the most evil peroson in all the world, "Tom, you _can_ come back."  


"I never will," Voldemort said with loath dripping from his words.  


"A duel then," Dumbledore replied coldly.  


"Never!" Voldemort said, his eyes going wide in fear, "I-I want Potter!"  


Suddenly Harry's level of being unafraid escalated to total confidence, "You're scared Riddle."  


"What?" the Dark Lord's head swiveled around.  


"You're afraid," Harry said pointing his wand at Voldemort's heart, "You're AFRAID! You can't even look at Dumbledore with out knowing that you fear him. Your boggart is Dumbledore, and there's no way you can win!"  


Voldemort's mouth twisted and contorted, it was about to open to say something when a dementor grabbed Harry by the waist, twisting him around and lifted his hood. Fog began to enter Harry's brain  


__

"NO! NO! Not Harry!"  


"Stand aside you silly girl, stand aside!"   


**__**

NO!, Harry silently told himself, and he concentrated on being with all of his friends, Dumbledore, and Hobbes, after having defeated Voldemort, put his wand to the dementor's face and yelled out loud enough to wake the dead, "_EXPECTO PATROUNM!_"  


Harry was suddenly dropped to the floor with a loud _thud_! The dementor walked away, then picked up another student. Harry ran over and yelled the curse again...  
  
Lord Voldemort looked long and hard at Harry as he ran back, he raised his wand.  


"_Expelliarmus!_"  
Voldemort's wand shot into Dumbledore's hand. "Duel, Tom."  
  
Draco Malfoy yelled out another Cruitatius Curse. This one hit Creevey. He grinned menacingly.  
  
Hermione's eyes went wide. _No, it can't be._ She wondered intently what exactly it was that Mr. Malfoy, no he didn't deserve that title, Malfoy was wearing. Whatever it was it seemed to stop a regular curse, and she looked at Calvin rolling and screaming in agony on the ground. Her eyes narrowed.  


"Nobody hurts my friends!"  


Lucius ignored her, not wishing to break his concentration on the curse he was delivering to Calvin. Hermione thought her plan through, it had a reasonable chance of success, and surely Malfoy would kill Calvin soon. It was a risk. But...  


"HI-YA!" with a roar of rage, Hermione Granger catapulted herself into Lucius Malfoy's chest.  
  
"Ginny?" Ron asked uncertainly, beginning to worry for his sister, 

"Neville, what happened?"  


Neville cradled Ginny in his arms and wiped a tear from his eye, "She's gone, Ron. She-sacrificed herself for me. I know I'm not worth it...I'm sorry."  


"No," Ron whispered, then he yelled it louder, "NO! NEVILLE SHE'S NOT DEAD, NO! PLEASE NO! PLEASE NO!" He was on his knees now, his head buried in his hands.  


"_Cruico!_"  


Ron Weasley fell over in agony. Behind him Draco Malfoy smiled.  
  
"I can still kill him Dumbledore. With my hands, no wand." Voldemort said, still with a look of fear in his eyes, "I can kill him and I will."  


"Not on my watch, Tom," Dumbledore said grimly. He threw the Dark Lord his wand. "There. Now we duel."  


Voldemort meekly nodded as he caught the wand.  
  
Lucius Malfoy hit the floor and his head it the ground with a loud _crack!_ Hermione tried to reach for a pulse, but found herself blocked by something. She grabbed a hold of apparent thin air and slowly pulled it off of the front of Malfoy's torso, and she got off him and stood as he rolled it up.

  
"A Shield," she said satisfied, and then Stunned the Death Eater just to be sure.  


Calvin then yelled out in terror, she whipped around.  
  
Harry ran across the Great Hall, shouting Patrounuses all the way searching for Ron, Calvin, Hermione, Hobbes, _anyone_. Suddenly he hear a yelp nearby and saw Calvin in the clutches of another dementor. Dodging curses all the way, he raced to help his friend.  


"_EXPECTO PATROUNM!_"  


Slowly, the dementor turned around and walked away, dropping Calvin rather hard on the floor.  
  
Hobbes leapt on the teacher's table, a determined glare across his feline face. Amy Lestrange stood there in front of him.  


"We meet again, Hobbes."  


"You...how could show your face. After what you did in New York..." Hobbes snarled.  


"It was nearly two decades ago, you should forget such things, we are old friends are we not?"  


"Change the adjective, Amy. It's 'was' not 'are'."  
  
"Bow," Dumbledore commanded, his voice strong and full of authority.  
Voldemort nodded his head a mere centimeter, his eyes still betraying his fear.

  
"Bow," Dumbledore said again, more powerfully then before.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione yelled.  


Harry nodded, and winced, and he saw yet another student fall prey to the Hitlercane.  


"Fan out," Calvin commanded, as he got up., "Some of us need to survive this!"  


Harry and Hermione nodded and rushed off in seperate directions.  
  
"Malfoy?"  


Macnair rushed over to his fallen Dark comrade, and knelt down next to him, "Malfoy," he shook him somewhat.  


Lucius opened his eyes, "Macnair," he ackowledged as he got up, "Let's get to work."  


He nodded vhemently, "Most assuredly, sir."  
  
"Malfoy," Neville spat the name out with distaste, "It figures."  


"What figures Squib?" Malfoy drawled.  


"Let him go," Neville was more determined then he ever had been in his life.  


"Why? Because your _girlfriend's_ dead?"

That did it.  


Gently placing down Ginny's body. Neville whipped out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy, his voice shaking slightly, "L-Let him go."  


Malfoy smiled, "No."  


"_Stupefy!_"  


Malfoy's face went ridgid, and he fell over with a thud.  


Ron groaned rolled over, then looked at Malfoy, turned as he stood up to look at Neville, "Thanks."  


Neville nodded abent-mindedly, he was staring at his wand in shock.  
  
"You will die Hobbes, you know that do you not?" Amy Lestrange posed they question as they stood off against each other.  


"No," Hobbes said quietly. "To tell the truth, I do not."

  
"Wizard's bow," Lestrange said, "This will be done properly of course."  


Hobbes nodded and gave a textbook bow. So did Lestrange.  


"On three," Hobbes said, clenching his teeth.  


"One," Lestrange began.  


"Two," Hobbes continued.  


"_Three! Adolphias!_" This came from Amy Lestrange.  


"_Three!_ _Expelliarmus!_" This came from Hobbes Siberia.  


Hobbes dove back and hit the ground as the hurricane wind storm caused by the Hitlercane Curse swirled in front of him, blurring his vision. He was able to notice, however, that Amy Lestrange's wand came hurtling out of her hand and was chopped to bits by the powerful air displacement in front of her. Hobbes grinned wildly, as the storm instantly abated.  


Lestrange looked at Hobbes with fear, and backed away.  


"I could kill you," Hobbes said, "And I know that you deserve it. But I won't."  


A smile of relief spread across Amy's face, in that split second Hobbes yelled "_Mobillicorpus Totalilus!_" and Lestrange fell over, fully Body-Bound.  
  
Voldemort bowed slowly, still keeping his eyes on Dumbledore. The Headmaster watched closely, but turned away at the scream of a student held in a dementor's clutches. This was his chance!  


He stood up quickly amd bellowed out at Dumbledore, "_Crucio_!"  


Albus Dumbledore's eyes went wide as he fell over in pain, but no screams escaped the old man's lips.  


The Dark Lord turned and scanned the crowd for a sign of Potter.  
  
"Pettigrew," After searching acroos the Hall for him, Ron had found the little worm tailed rat. He spat the name out in disgust as he stared at the excuse for a man in front of him. He raised his hand...  


And suddenly a white rat began scampering away into the crowd.  


"Oh no you don't!" Ron exclaimed and lifted his hands again, 

"_HYDROS MINOS!_"  


Spurts of water flew from Ron's hands and hit the right square-on. 

Walking crisply over to the fallen rat Ron picked it up by it's worm-like tail from which this disgusting creature got his name. It was just knocked out, he told himself. And with that Ron pocketed Wormtail.  
"Just like old times, eh Scabbers?"  
  
Lucius Malfoy strode quickly through the crowd. He no longer bothered to taunt any of the students, his experiecne with that Mudblood girl, Hermione Granger? Yes, the one that Draco always complained about, had taught him well.

  
"_Avada Kedavra._" He said as he pointed the wand at a seventh-year Slytherin.  


He looked off in the distance, and too his surprise there was that Hermione Granger Mudblood. Well, he'd put an end to her. He raised his wand.  
  
Harry Potter yelled out a Stunning Spell and hit the Death Eater in the back. There, one down, quite a few more to go. In the distance he saw the Lucius Malfoy, well-out of Stunning range raising his wand. He quickly followed Malfoy's line of sight....he had a clear shot...at Hermione Granger.

  
Harry tore off to save Hermione.  
  
Lord Voldemort grimly stared around the room. Soon, the castle would be his. His lips contorted into a rather horrifying smile. Was _was_ Potter? Perhaps by some stroke of good fortune a dementor had gotten to him first? Or maybe even one of his own Death Eaters.

  
But, alas, that was not the case, there he was running across the room probably in some fruitless hope of saving a student or teacher. Lord Voldemort looked at Dumbledore and broke the connection. The old professor stirred somewhat and Voldemort Summoned his wand, 

"Looking for this?" he asked with a diabolical grin.  


That finished he turned around to pick up Potter again...there he was. 

The Lord of All Darkness raised his wand.  
  
Hermione Granger conjured another Patronus. It seemed as though a few dementors had had enough and they were leaving the Hogwarts grounds. She gave a sigh of relief. Maybe everything would OK after all. She glanced over to were Dumbledore and Voldemort had been. 

Funny, she had forgotten all about Voldemort in the confusion...  


There he was. He was lifted his wand, and Dumbledore was on the ground. _Dead?_ She hoped not. Voldemort was well out of cursing range, but maybe she could protect the person who he was going to try to kill. He seemed to be following somebody coming in her direction, she turned.  


"HARRY!" she exclaimed and began running towards him.  
  
Lucius Malfoy was slightly annoyed. Why is the fool girl running? For a few seconds he followed her wuth his eyes and wand, why what luck! She running towards Potter. Well, he could wait a few seconds until they were close enough so that if he missed, he'd hit the other.  
  
_Why is she running towards me? Why? Doesn't she realize Lucius Malfoy is watching her right now, and getting ready to kill her? She should be hiding, not running. From across the room you can still hit a moving target,_ Harry wondered as he bowled over another student in his fight to save his girlfriend.  
  
_Closer, closer, closer. Come on Hermione, you can do it,_ Hermione muttered to herself, _This is important. More then schoolbooks, more then tests. Come on you can save him. Let's go, come on!_ She struggled to utilize all her energy for the final push.  
  
_Okay,_ Harry thought, _NOW!_ He jumped for Hermione.  
  
Hobbes whipped his head around as he finished Patrousing a dementor away from the school and back outside to the giants, for the time being. Where's Harry and Hermione?  
  
_All right, NOW!_ Hermione soared through the air.  
  
"_Avada Cruico,_" Voldemort growled, Potter was going to have a nice time dying now, in complete agony.  
  
"_Avada Cruico,_" Lucious Malfoy screamed, he wanted to make sure Granger felt a lot of pain before her death.  
  
Harry James Potter and Hermione Elizabeth Granger collided in mid-air, both tried to push the other down, as as a result: both Torture Killing Curses hit their marks.


	24. The Phinder's Locket

Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger  
Chapter Twenty Four-The Phinder's Locket  
**Disclaimer: This chapter is dedicated to draco's princess. ::grins:: C&H belong to Bill Watterson and Universal Press Syndicate. HP belongs to Joanne Kathleen Rowling and Warner Bros. The sequel will be out soon, look for _Harry Potter and the Resurrection of Camelot_ sometime soon. God bless you and your families, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**  
  
As soon as the two black bolts of light hit Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in their respective foreheads, a strange phenonmenon and an intricate series of events occured.  
  
The curses rebounded.  
  
The clear and perfect shots that both Lucius Malfoy and Lord Voldemort had taken came back and hit them both square in their chests. As Voldemort hit the ground crying in agony, he carefully opened the silver locket around his neck and a whisp of silver smoke drifted away out the door. Thus, Lord Voldemort died.  
  
A few dementors continued their set tasks, but at the killing of Voldemort, most simply walked away. No one else was Kissed by a dementor that night.  
  
Lucius Malfoy cried out in pain and agony and was killed by the same curse he had sent just as Voldemort was, but for an odd reason he managed to hold out a little longer.  
  
The Death Eaters were all singularly stunned at the killing of two of their leaders, the betrayal of one, and the strange dissappearance of their fourth main Dark leader. They were all easily captured and detained. They would be tried as criminals later in front of a very unsympathetic Magical Law Enforcement Court.  
  
The wizard responsible for the strange disappearence of the fourth leader, saw his two friends hit by the curse and then saw their bodies crumple. He fell over in shock, he had just lost his sister and know this? In doing so he awakened a white rat that had been previously stunned, the rat ran away into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Draco Malfoy's eyes slowly fluttered open and he whispered, What am I doing here?  
  
Hobbes Siberia slowly walked over to Harry and Hermione and looked at them. He picked them up and carried them to the hospital wing, where he figured, business would be booming.  
  
Harry Potter opened his eyes.   
  
_Is this Heaven?_ he thought. Figuring that he probably wouldn't be in Heaven if he was lying on his back surrounded by an antispectic smell he shivered for a second, and thought he might have gone someplace else.  
  
Suddenly, he realized if there was an antiseptic smell, and he was in a bed, he was probably in the hospital wing.  
  
That meant...  
  
he said sadly. He'd failed, and he'd lost Hermione as a result. How could he?  
  
a hesitant voice answered nearby.  
  
That voice, Harry sat up straight and instantly regretted it, pain spasms went up and down his back. Nevertheless he turned.  
  
he exclaimed. Tears running from both of their eyes, they reached across their seperate beds and hugged each other. Harry held on to Hermione as long as was humanly possible. He never wanted to let go, never.  
  
I love you, Hermione, Harry didn't know what made him say it, but he did. And he knew it was true. He loved her.  
  
I love you too, Harry, Hermione answered and they met into a kiss. Tears of joy were free-falling down Harry's face as he kissed her. It was the sweetest feeling he'd ever had.   
  
Eventually, they had to break apart as much as neither one wanted too, they were things a person needed to survive. Oxygen for example.  
  
As Harry pulled back he took in Hermione's face, so perfect, so beautiful, she was so smart, so...he froze.  
  
Hermione asked urgently, What's wrong?  
  
Your forehead, Harry pointed at it.  
  
Fingers trembling, Hermione Granger put her hands over her forehead and her face contorted into a look of shock.  
  
It was a scar. The scar was a lightening bolt, and looked exactly like Harry's and was dead center on Hermione Granger's forehead.  
  
Madam Pomfrey walked in to Harry and Hermione's room, Oh you're awake.  
  
You mean you knew we weren't dead? Harry asked incredulously.  
  
Yes Mr. Potter, Madam Pomfrey said with a rather quirky expression on her face, It doesn't take a spell to read your pulse.  
  
Harry felt his face go red from embarassment.  
  
Professor Dumbledore will be in to see you shortly.  
  
You mean he's alive? Hermione asked excitedly.  
  
Yes, Miss Granger, he's alive. He's a tough old bird, and he came brave marvelously from the Cruitatius Curse being used on him.  
  
Someone used the Cruitatius Curse on Dumbledore? Harry asked shocked.  
  
Hermione supplied, Voldemort did before he tried to kill you.  
  
Harry asked, Voldemort tried to kill me?  
  
Hermione nodded, Yeah, that's why I tried to save you.  
  
I was trying to save you! Harry responded.  
  
  
  
Madam Pomfrey viewed the exchange with a smile and began to walk out to get the Headmaster.  
  
Madam Pomfrey? Hermione asked.  
  
she turned around.  
  
Are Calvin, Ron, and Hobbes OK?  
  
Madam Pomfrey said, and then turned back around.  
  
You've got to be kidding.  
  
That was the response of Harry Potter when Professor Dumbledore had regaled his story of what had happened following his leap into the air.  
  
Have I ever kidded you Mr. Potter? Dumbledore asked with a benign smile.  
  
Well no, but...  
  
Then what should you worry about?  
  
Can I just clarify a few things? Hermione asked.  
  
Naturally Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore's mustasche bristled as he nodded.  
  
Well, how many people died?  
  
the old Headmaster replied, Twelve students, one teacher, six Death Eaters. The teacher we lost was Professor Vector.  
  
Harry knew it was selfish but he hoped that nobody he knew had been killed, Who were the students?  
  
Well, I should start with Ginny Weasley.  
  
Harry and Hermione gasped at once,   
  
  
  
Who else? Hermione choked out.  
  
Amanda Rwanda of Hufflepuff, Jeremy Cooley of Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin although she betrayed the school, Wilbur Wye of Ravenclaw, Lauren Sinclair of Hufflepuff, Gavin Gavin of Gryffindor, Tyrone Colbert of Gryffindor, Owen McOwen-Smith of Ravenclaw, Irving Strange of Slytherin, Paul Peterson of Ravenclaw, Sara Quinn of Gryffindor, Sara Edwarth of Ravenclaw.  
  
Oh jeez, Harry managed to get out.  
  
Dumbledore sighed,   
  
Well, Professor, what about Draco Malfoy? Hermione inquired.  
  
Well, as you know, Mr. Malfoy has had tendency for trouble this year, Dumbledore said with a shadow of his old twinkle in his eye, It appears that his father was holding him under first the Confoundus Charm and then the Imperious Cursefor most of the year. He was under a similar form of mind-control, but different.  
  
Bond Charm? Hermione guessed.  
  
Exactly, Miss Granger, seeing Harry's blank look Dumbledore continued on, Bond Charms create a bond between two people in which the stronger can control the weaker.  
And what of Peter Pettigrew?  
Dumbledore sighed, Somehow he escaped from the Ministry before he was sent into Azkaban. However, I wonder if Minister Weasley might have had something to do with it...  
  
Harry nodded and then he remembered something, he felt rather like in his second year, Um, Professor Dumbledore, sir. When Sirius talked to me, Dumbledore nodded, He told me my mum was related to a cousin of Slytherin...is that true?  
  
(A/N: Silvestra, I _know_ your going to think I got this from HP and the UL, but I don't think I did. I planned portions of this story before (I think) I read UL, and I know it wasn't at the forfront of my mind, really until I realized it later. Hmmm, maybe my subconsious is playing tricks on me)  
  
Well, to a point Harry. But I would assume that if Sirius told you, he told you that cousin was disowned?  
  
Harry nodded, Yeah, he did.  
  
Well, I have been researching it. That disowned cousin was none other then Godric Gryffindor.  
  
Harry sqwaked, I'm the...Heir of Gryffindor?  
  
Dumbledore nodded, Voldemort must have found out somehow.  
  
Harry couldn't imagine Dumbledore lying to him, but it seemed really weird that Dudley Dursley could have been the...co-Heir of Gryffindor, but he remembered what Hermione had said, C'mon, evil people have had good children and vice versea.   
  
Is there anything else? Dumbledore asked patiently.  
  
Harry asked, Why exactly did me and Hermione not die?  
  
The twinkle was completely back in Dumbledore's eyes now, Well, _that_ is for me to know, and you to find out.  
  
As he stood up to leave Hermione asked tentative, Um, Professor?  
  
Professor Dumbledore turned around.  
  
Well, that mist that came from the locket? What exactly was it?  
  
I don't exactly know, Miss Granger, I do have an idea.  
  
Hermione nodded and they left it at that.  
  
After Harry and Hermione were released from the hospital wing they had a small amount of joy when they met up with their friends, but were saddened at the End-Of-The-Year Feast.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and lifted a hand. The Hall grew quiet.  
  
You all know of the demise of Lord Voldemort, and the capture of his Death Eaters, and the people that made it happen.  
  
It was unavoidable that a few people turned and looked at Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Ron looked into his cup and Harry noticed tears were free-falling from his eyes. Lavander Brown, the person nearest Ron put her arm around him.  
  
But there were also eleven students who bravely fought and died for this school, Harry noticed that Dumbledore didn't mention Pansy Parkinson, And they died not in vain. Remember. Always remember.  
  
The slogan of the Phoenix Underground Harry thought, and before he knew it he was standing up, lifting his glass,   
  
Remember, remember, remember, remember, it was repeated throughout the Great Hall.  
  
Well, Calvin. Goodbye, Harry said with a grin as he shook Calvin's hand and gave him a friendly pat on the back. Calvin grinned his thanks, and went over to his parents. Harry took a good look at them, his mom with her skinny figure and brown hair, and his dad with combed back black hair seeded with white.  
  
Harry turned to his best friend who had been quiet ever since Ginny had died, If you need _anything_ just owl me, OK? I can't imagine what you're going through.  
  
They exchanged a friendly hug, and Ron went off to join his grieving family.  
  
Harry grinned, The last time at the end of the year you kissed me on the cheek, can you please do that again?  
  
Hermione nodded, I'll do one better.  
  
And she kissed him on the cheek and then she kissed him on the lips. Harry wrapped his arms around her and Hermione did the same with him. When they parted they both said, I love you, Harry, and I love you, Hermione, at the same time.   
  
After Hermione had joined her parents who were politely ribbing her about the kiss, Harry turned to the tall wiry raven-haired man behind him with haunted eyes that had seen horrors no one ever would wish to experience, and might never seen completely again.  
  
Come on, Sirius. Let's go home.  
  
The man sat down and leaned against the hill. He breathed in the cool night air of Romania and heaved a deep sigh. He'd need to go home soon. Some time soon too.  
  
Suddenly a silver mist floated gently around him. It sort of tickled at first and he idly wondered if it was just fog, or maybe even smog. Then he felt a deep pain in his stomach and head, and words began to echo in his head. That voice, he'd heard it before, what was it?  
  
_YOU ARE THE PHOUND. YOU ARE THE PHOUND. YOU ARE THE PHOUND LORD!_  
  
The man struggled, he didn't want this thing, whatever it happened to be. But he soon felt this power flowing through him, and he _knew_ he had to accept it. And so he did. The voice suddenly abated and the man stood up and raised his hand up towards the heavens. And then he brought it down, yelling a spell so mightily loud it was a wonder the Earth itself didn't sudder. The hill was hit with a yellow flash and exploded, sending a large mushroom cloud into the air.  
  
The man bellowed out, I am Lord Neovoldemort!   



End file.
